Final answer:
Water displays adhesion, cohesion, surface tension, and capillary action due to its polarity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The characteristic of water that causes it to display adhesion, cohesion, surface tension, and capillary action is its polarity.
Water is a polar molecule, meaning it has a positive charge on one end and a negative charge on the other. This polarity allows water molecules to attract to each other (cohesion) and other surfaces (adhesion).
Surface tension is the result of cohesive forces between water molecules at the surface, creating a kind of 'skin' on the water's surface. Capillary action is the ability of water to move against gravity in narrow tubes or porous materials due to strong adhesion forces.
Learn more about Water properties