We all use straws on a regular basis to enjoy our drinks. But did you know that you don’t actually suck on a straw? That’s right folks – you don’t suck on a straw – lower pressure does not pull on higher pressure. Suction is fiction in terms of physics. In fact, nothing sucks – not your vacuum, not your turkey baster or syringe. People don’t even get sucked out of planes during explosive decompression.

Let me say it one more time to be clear: Nothing sucks! So what is happening? Well, the air is BLOWING. That’s right – nothing sucks, it blows. I’ll pause for the giggles to end.

Air always moves from areas of high pressure to low pressure – it blows. When drinking with straws like kids with juice boxes enjoying lunch at the Fresh Cafe at the Children’s Museum of Houston (yes, blatant plug ), we create areas of low pressure in our mouths by expanding them. The outside air, in trying to equalize pressure, squeezes on the box and the liquid in the box gets pushed up the straw and into your mouth.

Check out the video to see how we can use this concept to turn straws ineffective!

Special thanks to our friends at Region’s Bank for making our O Wow Moments possible!

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