Which of the following properties of water is shown here (a steel paper clip floating on water)?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks which property of water is demonstrated by a steel paper clip floating on water.
Option: Surface tension.
Consider why this is the best choice: surface tension is the cohesive force at the surface of a liquid that causes it to behave as if its surface were covered with a stretched elastic skin. In this setup, the water's surface tension creates a supportive film that can hold a lightweight or carefully supported object, like a steel paper clip, when placed gently so it rests on the surface rather than sinking.
If we imagine other typical properties (e.g., buoyancy, density, adhesion, capillary action), they do not precisely describe the observed effect here. Buoyancy depends on the object displacing fluid and the overall density of the object relative to the fluid; while the clip is denser than water, the surface tension counteracts sinking by distributing forces along the surface and allowing the clip to float temporarily in a stable balance. Density alone would suggest sinking for a metal clip unless the clip is positioned or supported in a way that leverages the surface film. Adhesion and capillary action involve interactions with surfaces or narrow spaces, which are not the central mechanism allowing a flat, smooth steel clip to rest on the surface in this photograph.
The key takeaway is that surface tension provides the necessary cohesive force at the water-air interface to support the clip, creating a temporary floating state despite the clip’s higher density than water.
Thus, the correct interpretation of the phenomenon shown is that surface tension is the responsible property of water in this scenario.

Which of the following properties of water is shown here (a steel paper clip floating on water)?

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