Essential to the process is constant moisture. A seed that dries out for as little as fifteen minutes will stop germinating and may die if it happens to be close to the time of emergence. Molecular Phenomena and Gravity Water moves through soil by either the force of gravity or by capillary action, depending on the volume of water involved. Large volumes of water, which can be roughly defined as anything between a raindrop and the world's oceans, are influenced by the force of gravity. Water moves down because its weight responds to the pull of the gravitational forc Capillary action, on the other hand, causes water to rise.
Capillary action occurs in very narrow tubes or channels.
A liquid moves up a tube because of an adhesive attraction between the water molecules and the container. Capillary action occurs because of this molecular adhesion. Molecular adhesion is the phenomena that causes coffee to be drawn upward at the sides of a cup, overcoming gravity's pull. The woven wick creates the many fine channels necessary for the wax to move through by molecular adhesion.e. In soil made up of fine particles, sufficiently compacted, this capillary action works to move water from a lower point to the surface.