Hero’s Fountain Closed-Loop Hydrostatic Pressure Siphon
An engaging, screen-free learning activity that builds real-world creativity and critical thinking for kids aged 9 to 14.
Materials Needed
- • Empty 500 mL plastic beverage bottles (3 bottles)
- • Clear flexible aquarium airline tubing (approx. 1 meter) (1 meter)
- • Hot glue gun and glue sticks (1 set)
- • Water with food coloring (3 cups)
- • Small plastic funnel (1 unit)
Pro Tips
- → Hero’s Fountain uses water falling from an open top basin to compress air in a sealed bottom bottle.
- → That compressed air pushes water out of a sealed middle bottle through a fountain jet back into the top basin.
- → Ensuring every tubing hole is 100% airtight with hot glue is essential for the siphon fountain to spray continuously.
Safety First
Adult supervises hot glue gun use and drilling tight seal holes into bottle caps.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Drill two tube-sized holes through two bottle caps and hot-glue them together back-to-back to connect bottle chambers.
Step 2
Route flexible vinyl tubes connecting the open top basin to the bottom bottle, and bottom bottle to middle reservoir.
Step 3
Seal every joint hermetically with hot glue to ensure the air column remains completely airtight.
Step 4
Pour water into the top basin to prime the siphon, watching pneumatic pressure shoot a fountain jet up through the center.