Why can the surface tension of water make water support things?

The surface tension of water is caused by the interaction between water molecules. Water molecules attract each other inside the water body, but they are attracted by an extra force on the water surface. This is because only a part of water molecules are surrounded by other water molecules on the surface, and there are no other water molecules on the other side, so they will be affected by surface tension, which shows a pulling force on the inside of the water body.

This pulling force can make the water form a relatively solid surface, and make the objects on the water subject to an upward buoyancy. When an object is placed on the water surface, the surface tension of water will form a pressure difference between the object and the water, which can offset the gravity of the object and make the object float on the water surface.

So the surface tension of water is one of the reasons why water supports things. Moreover, the surface tension also explains why water droplets can slide on the water surface without being absorbed immediately. This is because the surface tension makes the water drop form a curved shape on the surface, which protects the liquid inside the water drop from spreading to the surrounding water body immediately.