Weird Science! Water Magically Suspended In Midair!

Next, the magician has a mystical and magical twist on an experiment you might remember from science class. This one uses a large plastic drinking glass. As we can see, it's empty, so far, but not for long. The magician plunges the glass into the bucket of water and fills it. Well, it's more than half full and less than half empty, for those of you who care. Watch. He takes a piece of ordinary cardboard and places it over the mouth of the glass. Next, he turns the glass upside down. Some of the water spills out, but the cardboard seems to be holding the water inside the glass. I remember this. Something to do with a vacuum. Bet he can't take the cardboard away. A little magic. He can take the cardboard away, and the water stays inside the glass. Now, that's a good trick. Watch again. The count of three, and the water is released from its magic spell. Nice trick, masked man. Makes me wish I paid more attention in school. So how did the magician turn a classic science experiment into a magic trick that defies the laws of physics? Here are the secrets. When the illusion begins, the magician shows us what appears to be an ordinary glass. It's not, but it's real water, so don't try this at home. The first secret is that the glass has a small hole that has been drilled in one side near the bottom. See? When the magician fills the glass with water, he must be careful to keep this hole covered. Without his finger in place, the water comes pouring out. That's scientific fact number one. A finger can plug up a leak. Next, he places the piece of cardboard over the mouth of the glass, then demonstrates how a vacuum works. When he inverts the glass, the water stays in place because the air in the glass cannot escape. The cardboard is stuck in place by suction. The next secret is hidden behind the piece of cardboard. There is a clear plastic lid concealed on the back side. This lid precisely fits over the mouth of the glass. See? It fits right into place, just like at a drive-thru. When the audience thinks that the cardboard alone is holding the water inside the glass, it's actually the clear plastic lid that is held in place by the suction. Here we see it without the cardboard. The vacuum created by the trapped air keeps the lid in place, as long as the magician keeps his finger over the tiny hole. Watch as he's able to count down to the exact moment the water rushes out. All he's really doing is releasing his finger from the hole and allowing air to rush into the glass and break the vacuum. Watch again in slow motion, and you can actually see the clear lid as it falls. Physics combined with trickery, and now you know the secrets.