What characteristic of water would you be investigating when you place a small drop of water on wax paper and when you try to float a paper clip in water?

I know that the paper clip does not float and that the drop of water rolls around on the paper.

What is cohesive forces? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cohesion_%28chemistry%29

Forces between like molecules, such as the force between water molecules.

The characteristic of water that is being investigated when you place a small drop of water on wax paper and try to float a paper clip in water is surface tension.

To understand why the drop of water rolls around on the paper and why the paper clip does not float, we need to consider the concept of surface tension. Surface tension is the force that acts on the surface of a liquid, causing it to behave like a stretched elastic sheet. It is due to the cohesive forces between the water molecules.

When you place a small drop of water on wax paper, the water forms a droplet rather than spreading out. This is because of the strong cohesive forces between water molecules, which create a droplet shape, as it minimizes the exposed surface area and therefore reduces the energy of the system. The cohesive forces between water molecules are stronger than the adhesive forces between water and the wax paper, so the droplet of water tends to form and roll around on the surface of the wax paper.

On the other hand, when you try to float a paper clip in water, the paper clip sinks. This is because water molecules are more attracted to each other (cohesive forces) than they are to the paper clip (adhesive forces). The cohesive forces within the water cause it to stick to itself and prevent the paper clip from displacing enough water to float. The weight of the paper clip is greater than the upward buoyant force provided by the displaced water, causing the paper clip to sink.

So, by observing the behavior of water droplets on wax paper and the sinking of a paper clip in water, you can investigate and understand the concept of surface tension and the phenomena related to cohesive and adhesive forces in water.