By: Kara Haselton

Purpose

To find the answer to the age old question: Is water wet?

Hypothesis

If I put my hand under a faucet of running water, I will find out that water is indeed wet.

Materials

• 1 hand (if not available, a finger will work)
• Faucet or water dispenser

Methods

1. Find a sink or fountain with running water
2. Place hand under the water, making contact
3. Think

Data

Analysis

After proceeding with this experiment, in the initial five seconds of data collected, my data lead me to the conclusion that, “of course, water is wet.” However, after collecting data up to a full minute I had a major breakthrough. I completed the steps again and found the same thing: only my hand was wet. I was confusing the outcome with what I thought were the actual properties of the water.

When researching this further, I found that other professionals discovered something very similar. “Wet” is simply a way to describe how we feel about water, not necessarily what the actual description of water itself is.  

Conclusion

I was wrong. Water is not wet.