eli5 Why do some cups, glasses and bowels pour easily while others have the liquid run back down the container?

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Some cups, etc are easy to pour from, even without lip designed for pouring. While other cups make a mess. Is it just the thickness of the the lip? I feel like coffee cups are particularly bad.

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Anonymous 0 Comments

I just want to say, if your *bowels* pour easily you should see a doctor!

As for your question, yes it’s at least partly the thickness of the lip, but also the shape of the lip too. If the lip flares outwards a little bit, that creates a much sharper angle between the stream and the cup wall at the point where gravity is trying to pull the liquid away from contact with the lip.

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