Questions & Answers about Bu madde sıcak suyun içinde erir mi?
Why do we use the aorist erir mi here instead of the present continuous eriyor mu?
The aorist tense is used for general facts, timeless truths, and scientific properties. Since we are asking about how this substance behaves in general whenever it is placed in hot water, rather than asking if it is melting right this very second, the aorist is the correct choice.
How exactly is the aorist formed on the verb erimek (to melt) here?
For verbs whose stems end in a vowel, like eri-, forming the aorist is very easy. You just add the letter -r to the stem, making erir (it melts). Then you add the question particle mi as a separate word, matching the vowel harmony of the verb.
Why do we say suyun içinde instead of just su içinde?
Why does su take a -y- buffer to become suyun? Shouldn't it be sunun?