# What’s the point of this video (perpetual motion, SFW) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 12, 2020, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-point-of-this-video-perpetual-motion-sfw/853640 "2020-05-12T13:23:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2020, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-point-of-this-video-perpetual-motion-sfw/853640/1 "2020-05-12T13:23:53Z")
If it was just the one I could write it off to troll but there are hundreds if not thousands of them. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/pt5SXkw1uh8/maxresdefault.jpg "Membuat Kincir Air dari Bambu otomatis yang menakjubkan") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt5SXkw1uh8) ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2020, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-point-of-this-video-perpetual-motion-sfw/853640/2 "2020-05-12T13:35:30Z")
It’s kind of neat that a siphon can power a water wheel for a little while. I doubt he’s claiming it’s an actual perpetual motion machine, if that’s what you’re asking. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2020, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-point-of-this-video-perpetual-motion-sfw/853640/3 "2020-05-12T13:44:18Z")
Does that even claim to be a perpetual motion machine? It’s a fountain that you add energy to by blowing (or possibly sucking) into a straw. Um, OK? But there are plenty of other videos on YouTube that do purport to show perpetual motion. Each of them is either a joke, a scam, or the work of a crazy person. None of those three possibilities is particularly remarkable. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2020, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-point-of-this-video-perpetual-motion-sfw/853640/4 "2020-05-12T14:29:59Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Does that even claim to be a perpetual motion machine? It’s a fountain that you add energy to by blowing (or possibly sucking) into a straw. Um, OK? I would contend that by omission he gives the illusion that it will run indefinitely. Otherwise why have a straw that connects to the bottom pan? If it really is meant to run only a short while all you need is a hole in the bottom of the can. Regardless, many of these videos are labeled as continuous. They are all a variation of Heron’s fountain which is not a perpetual machine. Also, there is a science video out there that tries to replicate many of these “machines” and all failed. His conclusion is that in the ones that run longer that there is a hidden motor. . ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2020, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-point-of-this-video-perpetual-motion-sfw/853640/5 "2020-05-12T14:44:28Z")
Here’s one by the same guy. It claims “no water pump”. Unless I’m remembering science class wrong, the end of your syphon can’t be higher than the thing you’re syphoning from. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/QJt4Kv8WvbA/maxresdefault.jpg "Building an Awesome Aquarium with Automatic Fountain (No water pumps)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJt4Kv8WvbA)