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Many people have tried to figure out exactly how and why this happens but no one has ever proven their theories conclusively.

There are 4 leading theories. The first is the Buoyancy theory. Which says that as the hot air rises, and replaces the cold air, it creates a Coandă effect which is similar to a small vortex of air which sucks the curtain inwards.

The second is the Bernoulli effect. This states that the air matches the velocity of the water coming out of the shower-head and lowers the air pressure inside the shower and against the inside of the shower curtain. This results in the shower curtain being pulled inward.

The third is a combination of the first two. It's called the Horizontal vortex theory. A computer model showed that the water coming out of the shower-head can create a horizontal vortex (sideways tornado) which causes a pressure drop and pulls in the shower curtain.

The fourth and final is simple condensation. A hot shower produces steam that will condenses on the shower side of the curtain and lowering the pressure there. The condensation will be continually replaced causing a temperature fluctuation which results in times where net steam production is negative.

So there you have it. Who would have thought such a simple thing still remains partially unproven.

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13y ago
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6mo ago

When a shower is turned on, the warm water and steam from the shower can create a slight vacuum effect that draws the shower curtain towards the showering area. This can cause the shower curtain to billow inward or stick to the person showering. The movement of the air, water droplets, and steam from the shower can also cause the shower curtain to sway or move.

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Q: What happens to a shower curtain when a shower is turned on?
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