>>Do I infer correctly that the hotter the water, the greater the
absorption?
And why would that be, since the h2o molecules are bouncing around more and
taking up more space?<<

From practical observations while washing (hands, timbers, bricks, window
glass) I've often noticed that hot water seems wetter than cold water--more
able to penetrate the micro nooks and crannies? It could be those warmer
molecules are budging and bouncing into the nooks, but I left my magnifying
glass at home.

A little experiment here with my hot tea in the glass tube of an eye dropper
suggests that hot water is thinner than cold water--less viscous, less
surface tension. I'd think that a liquid with less surface tension would
penetrate a porus material more than one with greater surface tension. Yep,
a drop of hot tea on the napkin consistantly makes a slightly larger wet
spot that cold tea.

John C. Leeke, MFFKK
(Master of Farmyard Fysics and Kitchen Kemistry)

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