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Code Number: 2A10.69

Demo Title: Surface Tension - Water Down a String

Condition: Excellent

Principle: 

Surface Tension of water pouring down a string

Area of Study: Fluids

Equipment:

1000 ml beaker, large diameter string.

Procedure:

Tape the string over the mouth of the beaker so that the string hangs down from the opposite edge.  Wet the string thoroughly. Put water in the beaker, and using the string as a guide for the water, pour it out into another glass or beaker.  The water can be poured quite fast and it will still follow the string.  NOTE: The string does not have to hang out from the beaker spout to make this work. 

References:

  • Martin Gardner, "Water Down the String", TPT, Vol. 39, # 1, Jan. 2001, p. 36.
  • Charles Vivian, "Capillary Filtering", Science Experiments & Amusements For Children, p. 87.
  • Martin Gardner, "6, Water Down The String", Smart Science Tricks, p. 16.
  • Martin Gardner, "Capillary Siphon", Entertaining Science Experiments with Everyday Objects, p. 115.
  • Vicki Cobb and Kathy Darling, "Water on a Tightrope", Bet You Can!, p. 73.
  • Janice VanCleave, "88, Hula Skirt", Teaching the Fun of Physics, p. 132.
  • Bobby Mercer, "Unspillable Water", Junk Drawer Physics, p. 169.
  • Borislaw Bilash II, “Water Delivery“, A Demo A Day – A Year of Physical Science Demonstrations, p. 128.