Is a single molecule of water wet?

[Ruptga]

You should read that article you posted.

You seem to be implying I didn't, but I can't imagine why. Powdered water contains water, meeting his definition of wet, yet it is completely dry.

 

[MongGrel]

Only after a glass of wine and a little Barry White playing on the sound system.

I vote thread win.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Depends how fast the electrons are moving. Slow = frozen, fast = wet, very fast = gas state.

At least I think that's how it works.

 

[Man I Suck]

Sorry, you are wrong again. Discussing somethings physical state is specifically describing the interraction between the different molecules. By definition one molecule of anything is neither solid lliquid or gas.

This. Wet is a function of or a perception of liquid which is a state of matter that requires a relationship between more than one molecules of said matter.

If it can't be defined as a liquid form then it can't be defined as wet.

 

[Dittybob]

Oh no, it's not my turn, you check that little molecules diaper. 😉

 

[smackababy]

This depends on whether or not that single molecule sells alcohol.

 

[SKORPI0]

Is Water Wet?

 

[Dittybob]

Wet or dry is ascribed by the observer.
If the perceiver is sensitive enough to 'observe' a single water molecule, then perhaps ...yes.

 

[Howard]

Can you hear the bear shitting in the woods?

 

[DigDog]

the question cannot be answered until a definition of *wet* is given. can 1 molecule of water penetrate your sweater and make it 1 molecule wetter than it was? yup. so 1 molecule of water is indeed wet, if that's your definition.

is it a liquid? as pointed out before, until it aggregates with other particles, it cannot be said, however one might speculate that "if it were to aggregate with other particles in a similar state" then, depending on the temperature of the first molecule, it could be *wet*.

we also use the name water in common language to identify H2O molecules in liquid state, calling the other states vapour and ice, so 1 molecule of water is "a molecule of water between 1 and 99 celsius", which is wet. Ice has the potential to be wet, and vapour is wet as well.

so .. pls define wet and then we can continue. (the answer is yes)

 

[Markbnj]

Wet or dry is ascribed by the observer.
If the perceiver is sensitive enough to 'observe' a single water molecule, then perhaps ...yes.

I'm no chemist, but I believe 'wetness' is a property of the relationship between water molecules, not a property of an individual water molecule.

 

[smackababy]

the question cannot be answered until a definition of *wet* is given. can 1 molecule of water penetrate your sweater and make it 1 molecule wetter than it was? yup. so 1 molecule of water is indeed wet, if that's your definition.

is it a liquid? as pointed out before, until it aggregates with other particles, it cannot be said, however one might speculate that "if it were to aggregate with other particles in a similar state" then, depending on the temperature of the first molecule, it could be *wet*.

we also use the name water in common language to identify H2O molecules in liquid state, calling the other states vapour and ice, so 1 molecule of water is "a molecule of water between 1 and 99 celsius", which is wet. Ice has the potential to be wet, and vapour is wet as well.

so .. pls define wet and then we can continue. (the answer is yes)

This is according to Google:
adjective
1.
covered or saturated with water or another liquid.

So, water can be wet, as water can be covered with water. However, a single molecule of water won't fit this definition.

 

[Dittybob]

"If a particle/molecule can not physically possess a given property, it cannot be in a state that requires that property."
Anna somebody

ex;
Ernie the water molecule lived happily within his large extended family in the liquid 'state' (just south of Michigan). However, a heated dispute, caused Ernie to drift away from his molecular family.
Now, completely alone (most likely somewhere out in the deserts of New Mexico), Ernie no longer has any interaction with his family members and is no longer considered a resident of the liquid state (however he may still attend family reunions on occasion).

 

[Bock]

You seem to be implying I didn't, but I can't imagine why. Powdered water contains water, meeting his definition of wet, yet it is completely dry.

So a case of sphere shaped water containers is wet huh? :awe:

 

[IronWing]

What colour are protons?

Same color as their paired electrons. 🙂 The energy of emitted photons is a shared property of the whole atom. The color changes depending on environment.

I'm developing a physical underpinning for Rachel Dolezal. 😛

 

[z1ggy]

Prepare to have your mind blown.

OP's question is meaningless, because wetness isn't a valid attribute at the scale of molecules. We might as well ask what color protons are.

Any combo of Red, Blue or Green 😉

 

[Moonbeam]

Water exists in three states, solid liquid and gas. Only liquid water is wet. A single molecule of water is in vapor form, a gas. Gases are not wet. They are dry.

 

[IronWing]

Water exists in three states, solid liquid and gas. Only liquid water is wet. A single molecule of water is in vapor form, a gas. Gases are not wet. They are dry.

Not necessarily. A single molecule of water can be surrounded by other water molecules. It can be bonded to other molecules without losing it's "wateriness" through hydrogen bonding. It can be a warm "ice" coordinated with other water molecules on a substrate.

 

[Braznor]

Is magma or lava wet?

 

[IronWing]

Is magma wet?

Most is. In fact, dewatering of crustal slabs undergoing subduction is thought to be the primary source of magma generation, at least at plate boundaries. The water driven out of the plunging plates lowers the melting point of the rocks above, fascilitating melting and upward migration of magmas.

 

[Phoenix86]

If I put a small drop of water on your pants are your pants wet? No. What about a glass of water? Yes.

What about a glass of water on a bale of hay? No.

"Wetness" is more about saturation. You need "enough" water to pass a threshold between "wet" and "dry". It's subjective.

 

[Moonbeam]

Not necessarily. A single molecule of water can be surrounded by other water molecules. It can be bonded to other molecules without losing it's "wateriness" through hydrogen bonding. It can be a warm "ice" coordinated with other water molecules on a substrate.

Wat? A single molecule of H2O surrounded by not bound to other molecules of H2O is water vapor, a gas. Gasses aren't wet. A molecule bound to others is either in liquid or solid form. H2O bound to H2O as a liquid is wet but not if in a solid state. Whatever you were saying doesn't change the facts.

 

[Man I Suck]

Most is. In fact, dewatering of crustal slabs undergoing subduction is thought to be the primary source of magma generation, at least at plate boundaries. The water driven out of the plunging plates lowers the melting point of the rocks above, fascilitating melting and upward migration of magmas.

I learned something today! :awe:

 

[IEC]

Single molecule of water?

Only in a thought experiment.

 

[Exophase]

You seem to be implying I didn't, but I can't imagine why. Powdered water contains water, meeting his definition of wet, yet it is completely dry.

Okay, let me rephrase my post to describe a necessary but not sufficient condition instead:

"No. A wet object contains (some particular amount of) water. For an object to contain something there must be a clear boundary between the object and its contents. Water alone can't contain itself."