The tendency of a liquid drop to contract and occupy minimum area is due to

The tendency of a liquid drop to contract and occupy the minimum possible surface area is a direct consequence of surface tension. Surface tension arises from cohesive intermolecular forces at the liquid surface, which make the surface behave like an elastic film and pull surface molecules inward, minimizing surface area; small volumes therefore form shapes with least surface area per volume, i.e., spheres [1]. Texts explicitly state that liquids tend to acquire the least surface area possible and that surface tension causes droplets to be spherical by pulling molecules toward the center [1]. Viscosity, density, and vapor pressure govern flow resistance, mass per volume, and evaporation respectively, not the minimization of surface area.