27 August 2018

A self-starting siphon


Exactly what the title says.  No suction required to start the siphoning process.

Addendum:  I just read something tonight that said Thomas Jefferson cited the siphon effect as an explanation for intermittent water flows at natural springs.   I'll have to research that later, but this would be a starting place.

and here with a diagram

5 comments:

  1. OBVIOUSLY, there is more to it, but I would have thought that the second "hill," being higher, would have fallen prey to the conservation of energy (like on a classic roller coaster, where the first hill is always the highest). I suppose there is some vacuum effect?

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  2. The Curiosity Show was brilliant! My young engineer self really enjoyed it, and I'm glad it's back in some form now :)

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    Replies
    1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Curiosity_Show

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    2. What great childhood memories of that show!

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  3. For some reason the segment I remember best from childhood is the cardboard sunglasses. Australian fashion at its essence!

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