Answer to Question #295336 in General Chemistry for golden

Question

State whether each of the following situations is an example of surface tension, capillary action, or adhesion. Include an explanation to support each answer.

1. After it rains, you have water droplets on your car.

2. You see an insect walking on a pond. 

3. You left the end of a towel in a bucket of water. The end that is hanging over the rim of the bucket is wet as well.

Answer 1

Part 1

Adhesion

Adhesive force between water and body of car molecules is higher than cohesive force between water molecules. Therefore water wets body parts of car.

Part 2

Surface Tension

The surface of water acts like a stretched elastic skin, making it possible for insect to walk on it.

Part 3

Capillary Action

Water rises over small pores of towel due to capillary action.