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 easily breaks apart into individual atoms. The molecule easily breaks apart into individual atoms. The molecule is significantly larger than most molecules. The molecule is significantly larger than most molecules. The molecule has sides that have slight electrical charges. The molecule has sides that have slight electrical charges. 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.

Water is a polar molecule, meaning it has a positive charge on one side (hydrogens) and a negative charge on the other side (oxygen). This polarity allows water molecules to form hydrogen bonds with each other (cohesion) and with other substances (adhesion), which contributes to water's surface tension.