Questioning and Investigating: Critical and Reflective Thinking

My conjecture: Water is not wet because of the way adhesive and cohesive forces define “wet”, but it depends on how “wet” is defined.

• If “wet” is defined as: a liquid is sticking to a surface of a material

• Cohesive and adhesive forces define wet and dry objects.

• Cohesive: attractive forces within the liquid

• Adhesive: attractive forces between the liquid and the surface

• If there is strong cohesive forces, molecules will stick together and won’t spread onto a surface.

• If there is strong adhesive forces, molecules will spread out onto a surface.

• If adhesive forces overpower cohesive, a surface will become wet

• If cohesive forces overpower adhesive, a surface will remain dry (liquid will bead)

• Water has high cohesive forces due to hydrogen bonding and doesn’t wet surfaces as well as other liquids.

• Different materials are affected differently by water, and different liquids can weaken or strengthen cohesive or adhesive forces, changing waters ability to make surfaces wet, therefore water can’t be defined as wet when the principles of water can be changed.

(Deductive Reasoning)

Counter argument: Water is wet because if wet is defined as “made of liquid”, all liquids are wet.