[ELI5] why does plugging one end of a straw not let the water out of the other end when held up?

217 views

[ELI5] why does plugging one end of a straw not let the water out of the other end when held up?

In: 4

4 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Water is kind of “sticky” at small scales. With a small enough opening, the water won’t let any air through it to fill the space at the top of the straw that would be left empty if the water dropped. So a small vacuum is created that holds the water up.

You are viewing 1 out of 4 answers, click here to view all answers.