Final answer:
Surface tension is created by cohesive forces that cause the surface of a liquid to contract and exhibit properties like allowing denser objects to float on it or water to bead on a waxed surface.
Step-by-step explanation:
The forces of attraction between the surface of a liquid and the air above it are a result of surface tension. Surface tension is caused by the imbalance of intermolecular forces experienced by molecules at the surface of a liquid compared with those in the bulk of the liquid. The surface molecules are attracted downward and sideways by other liquid molecules, leading to a net force that pulls them into the liquid, creating a tightly contracted surface known as surface tension. Cohesive forces are responsible for this contraction, as they draw the molecules towards each other and to the bulk of the liquid. Such forces are contrasted with adhesive forces, which describe the attraction between molecules of different types, such as between the liquid and air molecules. Liquids with strong intermolecular forces display greater surface tension, which is evident in water due to hydrogen bonding. This phenomenon explains the ability of certain objects denser than water to float on its surface and the beading of water on a waxed car.