Question

Special properties of water include its cohesion, adhesion, and surface tension. Which characteristic of the water molecule is most useful for explaining all three of these special properties? (1 point) Responses The molecule has sides that have slight electrical charges. The molecule has sides that have slight electrical charges. The molecule is significantly larger than most molecules. The molecule is significantly larger than most molecules. The molecule easily breaks apart into individual atoms. The molecule easily breaks apart into individual atoms. The molecule is made of only three atoms.

Answer 1

The characteristic of the water molecule that is most useful for explaining its cohesion, adhesion, and surface tension is:

The molecule has sides that have slight electrical charges.

This property arises from the polar nature of water molecules, where the oxygen atom has a slight negative charge and the hydrogen atoms have a slight positive charge. This polarity allows water molecules to form hydrogen bonds with each other (cohesion) and with other substances (adhesion), which contributes to surface tension.