Book 1, Question 114
How Does a Toilet Flush? The Science of the Siphon!
Ever wondered what happens after you flush? When you lift the flap, water rushes from the tank into the bowl. The fast water carries waste away, and then a siphon pull finishes the whoosh before the tank refills. The page says the tank stores the next flush. Listen to the refill after a flush and see what you can hear.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 1
More fun facts
- Thousands of years ago, the Minoan palace of Knossos on the island of Crete had toilets that were surprisingly modern.
- Sir John Harington of England is credited with inventing the flush toilet in the 1500s.
- Harington installed one of his flush toilets for Queen Elizabeth I, who was his godmother.
- Thomas Crapper did not invent the flush toilet. He became famous for selling toilets in Victorian times.
- Many modern toilets use about 1.6 gallons of water per flush.
- The gurgle you hear at the end of a flush is the siphon finishing its job.
- Flush toilets work by using gravity and air pressure.
Questions kids ask
Who invented the flush toilet?
Sir John Harington of England is credited with it in the 1500s.
What makes the gurgle after a flush?
The end of the siphon action pulling water out of the bowl.