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How does water move up the thin walls of a tube? What is it sticking to?

User Chris Page
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

Water moves up the thin walls of a tube through capillary action, where the water molecules are attracted to the charged glass walls of the tube. The cohesive forces between water molecules and the adhesive forces between water molecules and the glass walls work together to allow water to climb up the tube.

Step-by-step explanation:

Water moves up the thin walls of a tube through a process called capillary action. This occurs when water molecules are attracted to the charged glass walls of the capillary more than they are to each other, causing them to adhere to the walls. The cohesive forces between water molecules and the adhesive forces between water molecules and the glass walls work together to allow water to climb up the tube.

User Edebill
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