What property of water gives it a strong surface tension? It forms hydrogen bonds. It expands when it freezes. It dissolves ionic substances. It stores large amounts of heat.
Hydrogen bonds play an extremely important role in water. It is one of the most important properties of water. Hydrogen bonds are the strongest intermolecular forces/Van Der Waals' Forces. Hydrogen bonds are what give water the ability to form bonds with other water molecules, resulting in a strong surface tension and other water-like properties.
Water has a high surface tension because the water molecules on the surface are pulled together by strong hydrogen bonds. That means a drop of water will "want" to have the smallest possible surface area.
