How does olive oil prevent noodles from sticking?

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Adding olive oil to boiling water for pasta is a common practice intended to prevent noodles from sticking together. However, the effectiveness of this method is debated, as oil tends to float on the surface of water, suggesting that it may not adequately coat the noodles. The physics of wetting plays a crucial role in this discussion, indicating that the interaction between liquids and solids can vary significantly. While some argue that a small amount of oil may transfer to the noodles upon immersion, others point out that the majority remains on the surface, potentially limiting its effectiveness. The conversation highlights the complexities of how oil interacts with water and pasta, raising questions about the best methods for cooking pasta without sticking.
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my dad adds olive oil when boiling water for pasta, he says it's so that the noodles don't stick, but doesn't all the oil remain on the top? so even if some of the olive oil were to rub on the noodles while pouring the noodles in, wouldn't it just float to the top again? so how does olive oil prevent the noodles from sticking?
 
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Physics behind is quite involved, start here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wetting

Note that wetting doesn't refer to interactions between just water and solid, but any liquid (be it oil) and any solid (be it noodle).
 

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