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)

Question

The molecule easily breaks apart into individual atoms

The molecule is made of only three atoms

The molecule is significantly larger than most molecules

The molecule has sides that have slight electrical charges

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 is due to the polar nature of water, where it has a partial positive charge on one side (hydrogens) and a partial negative charge on the other side (oxygen). This polarity leads to hydrogen bonding between water molecules (cohesion), attraction to other substances (adhesion), and contributes to surface tension.