1.  Substitutes have been developed in the past but failed to absorb water to the extent that ivory does.

2.  Among the important functions they serve are providing habitat for wildlife, filtering polluted water and absorbing flood waters.

3.  As wood becomes wet in the stripping process, the fibers absorb water and the grain opens, Cole said.

4.  A diagonal cut absorbs more water than a square cut.

5.  According to Baird, this type of fiber works like a sponge, absorbing water to create a soft, bulky stool.

6.  Both salt and sugar are hygroscopic, which means that they attract and absorb water.

7.  But flour absorbs water in different ways at different times and can even be affected by the weather.

8.  But they are bulkier, less durable, do not insulate well when compressed by the body and absorb water.

9.  By the time you get to that spot, it will have absorbed enough water to remove easily.