Question

One of water’s unique properties is that it has strong surface tension. What do you predict would happen if water had weak surface tension?

A. Insects wouldn't be able to land on or walk on water
B. Plants wouldn't be able to draw water from the ground through their roots
C. Water molecules would attract each other.
D. Water would only be able to dissolve non polar substances.

I initially picked A, but B could also be an answer. What are your thoughts?

Answer 1

Are any of you smarties up for it?
@dan815 @Nnesha @Mehek14 @Luigi0210 @e.mccormick @tkhunny @robtobey @sammixboo @whpalmer4 @pooja195 @sleepyjess @mathstudent55 @freckles @ikram002p @KyanTheDoodle @inkyvoyd @Australopithecus

Answer 2

sorry biology isn't my thing
i'm a math person

Answer 3

i never said i'm smart......

Answer 4

Totally fine, thank you though! @freckles

Answer 5

And you definitely are :) @Nnesha

Answer 6

Wha? I'm not a smartie! I'm a sweet tart at best!

Answer 7

Hershey's or PopTarts? @KyanTheDoodle

Answer 8

Neither! I don't even know what surface tension is.

Answer 9

The answer is A :)

Answer 10

B can't be it because that's an example of Capillary Action.

Answer 11

It is true that many insects rely on the surface tension of water to support them. Without the relatively high surface tension compared to their light weight, they would find themselves having the same success most of us have when trying to walk on water :-)

B (capillary action) is indeed something made possible by surface tension, but surface tension is only part of the story there. You can have capillary action that pushes liquids down rather than up!

@KyanTheDoodle next time you pour a glass of liquid, look at it from the side and notice how at the edges the level of the liquid is slightly different than in the center. Here's a video you can watch showing you how to float a metal needle (denser than water, so should sink) on water: https://youtu.be/Tu9o4JXulvo