What term refers to the ability of water to cling to other substances?

The term that refers to the ability of water to cling to other substances is adhesion. Adhesion describes the attractive force between water molecules and other substances, which allows water to form hydrogen bonds with materials like glass, soil, and plant tissues. This property is essential in many biological processes, such as the movement of water in plants through capillarity, where water rises through tiny tubes against gravity due to its adhesive properties.

In contrast, cohesion refers to the attraction between water molecules themselves, which is why water droplets can form beads on a surface. Surface tension is a specific manifestation of cohesion that occurs at the surface of a liquid, while solvency refers to the ability of water to dissolve various substances, making it known as a universal solvent. Each of these terms relates to water's unique properties but adhesion specifically highlights its interaction with other materials.