Answer to Question #337062 in General Chemistry for Alex

Question

How does a paperclip float on water? Use surface tension and intermolecular forces in your answer. Also how do intermolecular forces cause surface tension?

Answer 1

The high surface tension helps the paper clip - with much higher density - float on the water.

The cohesive forces between liquid molecules are responsible for the phenomenon known as surface tension. The molecules at the surface of a glass of water do not have other water molecules on all sides of them and consequently they cohere more strongly to those directly associated with them (in this case, next to and below them, but not above). It is not really true that a "skin" forms on the water surface; the stronger cohesion between the water molecules as opposed to the attraction of the water molecules to the air makes it more difficult to move an object through the surface than to move it when it is completely submersed.