How Do Ants Hold Water?
WouterUsing the principle of capillary action, ants draw water from a droplet to their mouths. They then swallow the liquid, which acts as a protective shield. Ants’ bodies are made up of a rigid exoskeleton that keeps the water from evaporating. Ants also have a special tongue called glossa, which transports liquid.
The ability of ants to hold water in their mouths is so great that they can actually hold a large volume of water for up to 20 minutes. This is possible because water does not break into bits. Instead, it is a liquid composed of many tiny molecules. These molecules form stronger bonds when they are at the surface of the water. The stronger the bonds, the more difficult it is for an object to break through the surface.
Ants can also hold water in their mouths by sucking it back into their mouths. They do this by licking the water with their tongue. The water then adheres to their tongue, creating a large laplace pressure. This pressure is so large that it can force water to bead.
The strength of ants’ water-holding capabilities is based on their ability to form a raft. Ant rafts are a type of structure that ants can form in minutes. Ant rafts are usually pancake-shaped. If ants are removed from the raft, it falls apart and sinks. However, the rafts were able to survive when placed in liquid nitrogen.
Scientists have estimated the tensile strength of ant rafts to be 2,000 Pa. This is slightly less than the strength of the connective stolons that anchor floating plants. However, ant rafts have ten times the viscosity of water.
