When a hydrophobic object of weight w is placed on the surface of water, its weight begins deforming the water line. The hydrophobic nature of the object means that the water will attempt to minimize contact due to an unfavorable energy tradeoff associated with wetting. As a result, surface tension attempts to pull back on the water line in order to minimize contact with the hydrophobic object and retain a lowest energy state. This action by the surface to pull back on the depressed water interface is the source of a capillary force, which acts tangentially along the contact line and thereby gives rise to a component in the vertical direction. An attempt to further depress the object is resisted by this capillary force until the contact line reaches a vertical position located about two capillary lengths below the undisturbed water line. Once this occurs, the meniscus collapses and the object sinks.