Science for the School and Family, Part I. Natural PhilosophyHooker, Worthington
Science
Science for the School and Family, Part I. Natural Philosophy
Hooker, Worthington
Physics; Science
176. =Pumps.=--In Fig. 123 you have a plan of a common pump. A
tube, C D, extends down into the well, W. Above this is the barrel
of the pump, A B, in which the piston works up and down. There is
a valve, F, in the piston, and another, E, at the bottom of the
barrel. Both of them open upward. We will suppose that the pump is
entirely empty of water. If, now, the piston descend, the valve E
shuts down, and F opens, letting the pressed air between the piston
and E pass upward. See what will happen when the piston rises.
The air above the piston can not get below, for its pressure will
shut the valve F. But there will be a tendency to a vacuum below
the piston as it rises, and the air will go up through the valve E
to fill up the space. But why does the air rise? Because of the
pressure of the air upon the surface of the water in the well.
This forces up in the pump the water and the air above it, just in
proportion as the downward pressure in the pump is lessened. If the
pumping be continued all the air will soon be expelled, the water
following it and flowing out at the opening, G. It is obvious that
the pump will be useless if the valve E be over 34 feet above the
surface of the water in the well, as the pressure of the atmosphere
will not sustain a column of water higher than this.
177. =Suction.=--In common language, the operation of the pump is
attributed to what is called a principle of suction, as if there
was a drawing up of the water. But the water, you see, is not
drawn, but forced, up. So it is with all operations of a similar
character. In sucking up a fluid through a tube the fluid is forced
up, because the pressure downward in the tube is removed. But how
is it removed? It is done by a movement of the tongue downward from
the roof of the mouth, thus causing a tendency to a vacuum, as the
upward movement of the piston in the pump causes this tendency
under it. To fill the space made by the movement of the tongue the
air is forced up the tube, the liquid following; and, as in the
case of the pump when the air is all expelled, the liquid will
begin to discharge into the mouth.
[Illustration: Fig. 124.]
178. =Forcing-Pump.=--The forcing-pump is constructed differently
from the common pump. Its plan is given in Fig. 124. It has a pipe,
C D, and a barrel, A B, like the common pump. It has also the valve
E at the bottom of the barrel. But it has no valve in the piston.
Connected with the barrel is another pipe, F G, from which the
water issues. This has a valve, H, opening upward. The operation of
the pump is obvious. As the piston is drawn up E opens and H shuts,
and when it is forced down E shuts and H opens.
[Illustration: Fig. 125.]
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