Florida Biology EOC Practice Test

What term describes the attraction between two unlike substances?

1. Adhesion

2. Capillary Action

3. Cohesion

4. Dissolution

The correct answer is: Adhesion

The term that describes the attraction between two unlike substances is adhesion. This phenomenon occurs when different types of molecules or surfaces interact and stick together. For instance, when water molecules come into contact with a surface, such as glass, the water adheres to the surface due to the attraction between water molecules and the molecules of the glass. Understanding adhesion is crucial in various biological processes. For example, it plays a significant role in how water moves through plant tissues, as well as in the formation of droplet shapes on different surfaces. In contrast, cohesion is the attraction between similar molecules, which is a different process that involves the sticking together of water molecules themselves. Capillary action is a result of both adhesion and cohesion but specifically refers to the movement of liquid within narrow spaces against external forces like gravity. Dissolution describes the process by which a solute dissolves in a solvent, which does not specifically relate to the attraction between unlike substances.