Hero's Fountains

Most recent answer: 10/22/2007

Q:
Can you explain to me how a pressure fountain or a Hero's fountain works? Please help me!!!!!!!!!
- Richard Ford (age 10)
Ellerslie, Prince Edward Island, Canada
A:
Richard -

A Hero's fountain works by using pressure. This is a really good picture that helps to show how it works:

Heros fountain

When you put water into the funnel, like in the picture, the water goes through the tube into the bottom bottle. Then, since the bottom bottle has more water in it, it doesn't have room for the air, so it pushes the air up through the tube, and into the top bottle. Then, since the top bottle has more air in it, it builds up lots of air pressure, which pushes the water up through the tube back into the funnel, and it makes a fountain. Then the water goes back in and the whole thing keeps going!

-Tamara

(published on 10/22/2007)