Heron's fountain

Experiment controls

The model

Water draining from the upper basin compresses trapped air, which pushes water from the other reservoir up through the fountain’s nozzle. The model follows the changing water levels and air pressure, accounting for gravity and resistance in the pipes.

Air compression is treated as isothermal and pipe flow as laminar. Turbulence can slow real water flow. Water stored in the pipes, the jet’s return delay, and surface effects are neglected. Colors illustrate mixing; the drawing is schematic.

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Drag to orbit · Scroll to zoompV = constant · Q = Sv