Properties of Water

Water is the most abundant compound on earth's surface, covering about 70 percent of the planet. Water is the only common substance found naturally in all three states of matter. Many substances dissolve in water. Adhesion and cohesion are both involved in water. Cohesion is when water sticks to other water particles. Adhesion is when water particles are attracted to other objects or substances.

The picture above is a picture of water drops that are sticking to the pine needles on a tree. The water sticking the needles shows gravity, adhesion, and cohesion all taking place. The water at the tips of the needles show gravity trying to pull them down to the center of earth. The water forming into drops shows cohesion taking place. The adhesion property is what cause the water to stick to the needle, which helps prevent the water from falling off the pine needle. 

Water is very sticky. It is highly cohesive and thats what makes it sticky. Water happens to be one of the highest of nonmetallic liquids. Since water is highly cohesive and very sticky, it clumps together or makes drops. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When water is in a glass or on another surface it will spread out and not stay in a drop, this is because adhesion forces are stronger than cohesion forces. There is a high level of surface tension in water, which causes molecules in the water not to be surrounded by the same moleculeson all sides and causes the cohesion to be pulled out from deep inside of other molucles.