The basic magneto‐fluid‐dynamical and electromagnetic equations are applied to study the flexure of an electrically neutral plasma conductor subjected to low Mach number subsonic forced convection. The basic equations, in particular the equation of energy balance, are shown to provide a linear relation between the curvature of the conductor and the mass flux of convection. For a given mass flux the curvature is found to vary inversely with a parameter introduced as the ``flexural rigidity'' of the conductor. The flexural rigidity is proportional to the coefficient which relates to the thermal conduction and the enthalpy flux due to diffusion. The flexural rigidity also increases with radiation losses and is inversely proportional to the specific heat at constant pressure. The theory is compared favorably with the results of an experimental investigation of the deflection of an arc positive column drawn between local, collinear electrodes in argon near atmospheric pressure. The arc current was varied from 2 to 6 A for various incident convection velocities normal to the interelectrode axis up to approximately 200 cm/sec.