Activity Overview
Watch as Magic and Science intertwine in this cool experiment where water walks down a string. This experiment will wow scientists and onlookers alike as water that is poured from the spout of a pitcher attaches itself to the string and runs down the string into the glass instead of pouring out into the glass like one would expect.
This experiment demonstrates how water molecules stick to one another in a steady stream as it leaves the pitcher. The water trickles down the string when you pour the water slowly because the attraction of the water molecules for each other is greater than the force of gravity. The string also attracts the water molecules because the textile creates many nooks and crannies for the water to stick to. If the string were not there, gravity would pull the water straight down into the glass.
Materials Needed
- Tape
- 12 inch piece of string
- A glass of water
- A small pitcher or glass measuring cup
How to Do It
- Fill the pitcher halfway full of water.
- Dip the string in the water to saturate it.
- Tie the string to the handle of the pitcher an let it drape across the top of the pitcher and spout.
- Take a small piece of tape and tape the other end of the string to the bottom of that glass.
- Keep the string tightly drawn.
- Slowly pour the water out of the pitcher over the glass. The water will walk its way down the string and into the glass.
