Superman attempting to drink cold water through a straw of...

Superman attempting to drink cold water through a straw of length $\ell=12.0 \mathrm{~m}$. The walls of the tubular straw are very strong and do not collapse. With his great strength, he achieves maximum possible suction and enjoys drinking the cold water

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Key Concepts

Vacuum Suction Limitation

When creating suction, the maximum possible pressure reduction is to create a near-perfect vacuum at the top of the straw. This limitation means that the maximum height a liquid can be raised in a straw is governed by the ambient atmospheric pressure balancing the weight of the fluid column, independent of the strength of the suction applied.

Atmospheric Pressure

Atmospheric pressure is the force per unit area exerted by the weight of the air above the Earth’s surface. It sets the maximum limit on the pressure difference that can be achieved by suction, meaning that no matter how hard one tries to suck, the pressure inside the straw cannot be lowered below a vacuum, and the atmospheric pressure is the only force pushing the liquid up the straw.

Hydrostatic Pressure

Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure exerted by a fluid at equilibrium due to the gravitational force acting on it. This pressure is proportional to the density of the fluid, the gravitational acceleration, and the height of the fluid column, which together determine the maximum height to which a fluid can be raised by a given pressure difference.

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