What occurs when asbestos becomes wet?

When asbestos becomes wet, it absorbs water and swells. This characteristic is significant because when asbestos fibers come into contact with moisture, they can expand, which may alter their physical properties and how they behave within a material or structure. This swelling can affect the integrity of the asbestos-containing materials, potentially leading to increased friability, which can release asbestos fibers into the air. It is important for those working with or around asbestos to understand this phenomenon, as it highlights the need for careful handling and management of materials that may be disturbed or damaged, particularly in environments where moisture is present.

The other options, while they may seem reasonable in certain contexts, do not accurately reflect the behavior of asbestos when it becomes wet. For instance, drying out would imply that water has no effect, which contradicts the known behavior of asbestos in the presence of moisture. Shrinking does not align with asbestos's response; rather, the opposite occurs. Dissolving is also inaccurate, as asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that does not dissolve in water but interacts with it in a way that causes swelling.