Hydrogen bonds between water molecules primarily contribute to which property of water?

• A. Surface tension on the liquid surface
• B. Color and clarity
• C. Low melting point
• D. High electrical conductivity

Answer: (A)

Hydrogen bonding creates strong cohesion between water molecules, so they cling to one another at the surface. At the air–water boundary, surface molecules are pulled inward by neighboring molecules, forming a tight "film" that resists external forces. That film is what we experience as surface tension—the tendency of the surface to behave as if covered with a stretched skin.

Color and clarity come from impurities and how light interacts with particles, not from hydrogen bonding itself. The melting point of water is higher than many substances because the hydrogen-bond network stabilizes the solid; describing it as a “low melting point” isn’t accurate. Electrical conductivity depends on dissolved ions; pure water conducts poorly, and hydrogen bonding isn’t what drives conductivity.