HOW DOES H2O stick to plastic for example water pipe outside, water is sticking to it when raining

Question: HOW DOES H2O stick to plastic for example water pipe outside, water is sticking to it when raining
- Keywords:
- Royal Society of Chemistry: Find out more about:
  
  plastic
  
  stick
  
  water
Asked by 534mcsb39 to Alex, Anaïs, Peter, Sarwat, Shreesha on 16 Mar 2015.
- Anaïs Pujol answered on 16 Mar 2015:
  
  Hi 534mcb39. Water is made of two atoms of hydrogens and one of oxygen. The hydrogens create hydrogen bonding between others water molecules, that gives to water the cohesion and adhesion properties. Water stick easily to itself due to cohesion and the fact that waters stick easily to others things will be adhesion. When the adhesion is strongest than the cohesion, water will spread out instead of staying together.
- Shreesha Bhat answered on 16 Mar 2015:
  
  Very nice observation! Like Anais explained, the adhesion and cohesion properties of water are at play here. When cohesion between water molecules is greater, they stay together and form spherical droplets. However, if adhesion to a surface is greater then cohesion, it forms a sheet and spreads out. So, when you see water sticking to a pipe, it may be that the adhesive force is more than the cohesive force, however it is not that great, as the water keeps on flowing, and is not stuck.
- Peter Maskell answered on 16 Mar 2015:
  
  see the other answers!

Question: HOW DOES H2O stick to plastic for example water pipe outside, water is sticking to it when raining