Water does not drip through an open umbrella of silk material unless the inside of the umbrella is touched. Which of the following phenomena is responsible ...

Water does not drip through an open umbrella of silk material unless the inside of the umbrella is touched. Which of the following phenomena is responsible for this?

Answer Details

The phenomenon responsible for water not dripping through an open silk umbrella is surface tension. Surface tension is the property of a liquid that causes its surface to behave like a stretched elastic membrane. The water droplets adhere to the silk fabric of the umbrella and are held in place by the cohesive forces between water molecules. The umbrella's fabric has a network of fibers, which creates capillary action that results in an upward force that balances the weight of the water, making it difficult for the water to fall through the umbrella. Only when the inside of the umbrella is touched and the tension is disrupted, the water droplets fall through the fabric.