I Infinite flow with capillary tubes?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the capillary tube phenomenon and its implications for infinite water flow. The idea of creating an infinite loop by bending a second tube into a first raises questions about conservation of energy. However, it is clarified that surface tension must overcome gravity for flow to occur. If surface tension is strong enough to lift the water, it will prevent drainage, negating the possibility of infinite flow. Ultimately, the concept of a perpetual motion machine remains impossible due to these physical limitations.
Warp
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I was watching this YouTube video by the channel The Action Lab:

At one point it shows this capillary tube phenomenon:

capillary_tubes.jpg


It got me immediately thinking: Conservation of energy much?

What's stopping that second tube from being bent into draining into the leftmost tube, thus creating an infinite loop of flowing water, which ought to be impossible because conservation of energy and stuff? If that were done, would there be some other phenomenon stopping the infinite flow of liquid? A perpetual motion machine shouldn't be possible.
 
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Warp said:
A perpetual motion machine shouldn't be possible
It isn’t.

If the surface tension is stronger than gravity to lift it up then it is strong enough to keep it from draining. There will not be any flow
 
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