Leaves wettability increases when plants are grown in the shade.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not sure
• D. Leaves dissolve in shade

Answer: (A)

Wettability of leaf surfaces hinges on surface properties like the cuticle and epicuticular wax. A thick, waxy, or rough surface tends to be hydrophobic, causing water to bead up and resist spread. In shade, leaves often have a thinner cuticle and less wax, reducing those hydrophobic features. With fewer hydrophobic barriers, water spreads more easily across the surface, so wettability increases. That’s why shade-grown leaves tend to become more wettable. The other options don’t fit since they either imply uncertainty or describe an impossible outcome rather than a surface-property effect.