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To: dsrtsage
So a siphon requires both gravity and atmosphere.

No, sucking it requires atmosphere.

Remember you need to suck on the siphon to start it (ie raise the height of the column of liquid)...once the liquid passes the high spot, it starts falling down the other side, which continues the sucking by itself.

Sucking is not required to start the siphon. Several posters already described methods of starting a siphon without sucking on the tube: Immerse the entire tube in the reservoir so the tube is filled with liquid. Stopper one end with your finger so the tube remains filled as you lift it over the edge of the container. Release the tube when the end is lower than the level in the reservoir and viola! It flows.

I live in the desert, and farmers are always using the method I described to get siphons flowing to irrigate their fields from a canal. They don't suck the water into the tubes to start them.

83 posted on 05/11/2010 10:28:17 AM PDT by Cyber Liberty (Build a man a fire; he'll be warm for a night. Set a man on fire; he'll be warm the rest of his life)
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To: Cyber Liberty; dsrtsage
So a siphon requires both gravity and atmosphere.

Yes!
90 posted on 05/11/2010 10:34:14 AM PDT by BitWielder1 (Corporate Profits are better than Government Waste)
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