Infinite fountain
An old adage says "water seeks its own level". What is the physical meaning of this and what does this mean about the plausibility of a perpetual fountain that pours water from its spout into its reservoir without the aid of a pump, as in the image provided.
I want to say this is impossible, but once the fountain starts wouldn't it keep going because it is basically a siphon? As long as the siphon starts above its destination it will keep going no matter the path?
Answer
In general, you only find perpetual motion in nature if an energy source is provided. In this case, there is no pump, and hence no supply of energy. If you're wondering where energy might be lost in a fountain like this, consider the possibility of viscosity, or friction in liquids. Also, the water droplets that collide with the basin might not collide elastically, meaning energy would be lost.
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In general, you only find perpetual motion in nature if an energy source is provided. In this case, there is no pump, and hence no supply of energy. If you're wondering where energy might be lost in a fountain like this, consider the possibility of viscosity, or friction in liquids. Also, the water droplets that collide with the basin might not collide elastically, meaning energy would be lost.