Why is water wet?

Hello rai130,

The comments to your question present several different, yet
reasonable, replies.  In other words, the answer depends on one's
point of view.

I believe that the following page, along with the comments below,
should provide a satisfactory answer to your question, whatever your
point of view may be:

"Notes and queries: Why is water wet?"
Guardian Unlimited
http://www.guardian.co.uk/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-1725,00.html

See also:

"Penguins feet - and other stuff -- Q2: Why is water wet but mercury 'dry'?"
The Curious? Web Site
http://www.curious.org.uk/penguins.htm#wet

Please let me know if you need any clarification.

- justaskscott


Search strategy --

Searched on Google for:

"why is water wet"

Thanks... its interesting how many different answers can given to a
seemingly simple question.

It isn't.  Water wets things, but itself isn't wet.

wet isn't a chemical nature but a feeling.

The real answer would be; because it is liquid.

NOt quite, Rden-ga, mercury is liquid at normal temperatures, and isn't wet.

Right, Scubajim  (Oh, you are an expert, professionally or hobby-wise all wet (; )
Yeah, water is like infants and little puppies:  it "wets things".

We seem to need some clarification.  Can you gives your definition of
wet?  That may answer your question.

Water wets some things but not others - not fats and wax for instance.
 It's all about the forces of attraction between the other material
and the water and between the water molecules themselves (which
produces surface tension).  This heads toward chemistry and the shape
of electron clouds in molecules.

How about this:
Water is not dry,
Other liquids with out water (purified),
are considered dry with the moisture content in parts per million(ppm).