How does the siphon method work and why does the pipe width matter?

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter shalikadm
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Bernouli
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
5 replies · 2K views
shalikadm
Messages
63
Reaction score
0
1. I found this diagram on book but there weren't any description.can someone tell me, what its trying to tell specially by those two red lines meeting the ground at the same place...?
2013_05_23_15_32_52.jpg

2.this is a diagram for siphon method of removing water. I have read somewhere that the siphon stops if the pressure at point c is equal to the vapour pressure of water. what is the reason for that.?
Pc = Po - hρg
2013_05_23_17_02_26.jpg
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Handwritten in a book, with no descriptions? Uh huh...

The first question would be asking which pair of colored arcs accurately represent the path of water pouring out of that structure.

For the question on siphons, if the pressure at C equals or is lower than the vapor pressure of water, it boils and no longer can flow up the siphon.
 
Well, I guess it is just trying to tell you about the water flow. There doesn't seem to be anything aphysical about the diagram at least at first glance and without making any measurements or calculations. The two red lines indicate that the water flow from points symmetrically placed about the center will hit the ground at the same location.
 
physwizard said:
The two red lines indicate that the water flow from points symmetrically placed about the center will hit the ground at the same location.
Yes...so what's the physics behind that ? water drains from symetrically placed holes from the center will catch the ground at the same place...?

russ_watters said:
The first question would be asking which pair of colored arcs accurately represent the path of water pouring out of the structure
all arcs are paths of water pouring.red color shows some special feature..
russ_watters said:
it boils and no longer can flow up the siphon.
further...siphon needs a continuous flow of water.water bubbles disturb the continuous flow...am i correct?
 
Last edited:
Apologies if this thread is not exactly germane to my issue but... I have been unable to find information and comment re. the following: If I were to establish a large diameter siphon and have the outflow diameter reduced substantially by attaching a much smaller (but contiguous) tube, would I then be able to have an uphill endpoint for my water flow because the total water mass (and therefore the force exerted) in the "downhill" tube would far exceed that in the smaller "uphill" tube?
 
For this purpose it is height alone that matters, not pipe width. You get the same amount of suction with a 1/8 inch reed on the outlet side as you do with a 36 inch pipe.

There is a concern that if the pipe is too wide, bubbles can rise up the outflow faster than water carries them down. If this occurs, the water can drain out of the outflow until the siphon no longer works at all.