:what causes this thing where you tip a cup/glass full of liquid and the liquid instead of falling down as soon as it reaches the edge, runs along the side and falls down once it reaches the bottom of the glass/cup?

Question

:what causes this thing where you tip a cup/glass full of liquid and the liquid instead of falling down as soon as it reaches the edge, runs along the side and falls down once it reaches the bottom of the glass/cup?

In: Physics

Answer 1

This happens when the walls of the cup or glass are thick, or when the angle of the pour is shallow. A cup or glass with thin walls (and no “lip”) will allow the liquid to fall quickly down, even when the angle is shallow; a thick-walled or lipped cup will require a steeper angle for the liquid to fall freely.