Ants manage to float on water due to an interesting property, known as surface tension, of liquids. In any liquid, the constituent molecules are in constant motion. They slide over one another, maintaining some freedom of motion while exhibiting enough attractive force to hold the molecules close to each other. This enables the liquid to flow.
But the attractive forces in a column of liquid are not the same at all points. Molecules at the centre of the liquid are subjected to uniform forces all around. But a molecule at the surface is subjected to unbalanced forces. Strong attractive forces exerted by the molecules amongst themselves pull the liquid inwards. That means, the molecules at the surface feel an excessive force pulling inwards. The net result is that the liquid behaves as though it has an invisible elastic ‘skin’ which always tries to contract and decrease the surface area. This contractive force on the surface of the liquid is called surface tension.
Now let us come to the actual question: Ants are so light that their weight is not sufficient to overcome the surface tension and break the contracting forces. If the weight of an ant is, then it will break the elastic membrane and sink. Similar observations can be made by placing a greased needle on a blotting paper which in turn is placed on water. The blotting paper will absorb the water and sink. But the needle floats.
constructed across the perennial river Sutlej, which flows down the Shivalik ranges that surrounds the region, and is an engineering marvel. It is one of the highest gravity dams in the world, and it has created a huge reservoir known as the Gobind Sagar reservoir. This dam is virtually the central nervous system of northern India, as it supplies electricity to the entire region.
Andhra Pradesh in the south, and the Bay of Bengal in the east. Orissa can be divided into three broad regions – the coastal plains, the middle mountainous country and the plateaus. The region of the coastal plains is a combination of several deltas formed by the major rivers of Odisha, such as the Subarnarekha, the Budhabalanga, the Baitarani, the Brahmani, the Mahanadi, and the Rushikulya. The middle mountainous region covers about three-fourths of the entire state and comprises the hills and mountains of the Eastern Ghats. The plateaus are mostly eroded tablelands, forming the western slopes of the Eastern Ghats. To sum up, the state offers diverse habitats from lush green and hilly terrain, to coastal plains and rolling river valleys, criss-crossed by rivers that include the Brahmani, the Mahanadi and the Bansadhara.
clothing, and shelter. Their culture and lifestyle show their deep respect for Nature.