Pump facts for kids
A pump is a special machine. It helps move liquids, like water or oil, from one place to another. Often, pumps move liquids upwards, against gravity.
Pumps need energy to work. This energy often comes from movement, called kinetic energy. Sometimes a person provides the power, like with a hand pump. Other times, a motor makes the pump go.
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What is a Pump?
A pump is a device that pushes or pulls liquids. Think of it like a strong helper for fluids. It can make water flow up a tall building. It can also move gasoline into a car's tank. Pumps are used everywhere, from homes to big factories.
How Pumps Work
Pumps work by creating pressure. They either push the liquid directly or create a space that the liquid rushes into. Imagine sucking on a straw. You create a low-pressure area, and the drink moves up the straw. Pumps do something similar, but much more powerfully.
There are many ways pumps create this pressure. Some use spinning parts, others use moving pistons. The goal is always the same: to move the liquid where it needs to go.
Different Kinds of Pumps
There are many types of pumps. Each one is designed for a specific job. Here are a few examples:
- Air pump: This pump moves air. You might use one to inflate a bicycle tire or a balloon.
- Boiler feedwater pump: This pump sends water into a boiler. Boilers heat water to make steam.
- Fire pump: Firefighters use these pumps. They spray water at high pressure to put out fires.
- Heat pump: This pump moves heat. It can warm your house in winter or cool it in summer. It works like a refrigerator, but for your whole home.
Some pumps, like the one in the picture, use a part called a piston. The piston moves back and forth inside the pump. This motion pushes the liquid out or pulls more liquid in.
Related Machines
- Gas compressor: This machine is like a pump, but it works with gases instead of liquids. It makes gases take up less space by squeezing them.
Images for kids
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A small, electrically powered pump
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Rotary vane pump
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Antique "pitcher" pump (c. 1924) at the Colored School in Alapaha, Georgia, US
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Gear pump
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Screw pump
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Cavity pump
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A Roots lobe pump
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360° Peristaltic Pump
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A centrifugal pump uses an impeller with backward-swept arms
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Regenerative Turbine Pump Animatic
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Regenerative turbine pump rotor and housing, 1⁄3 horsepower (0.25 kW). 85 millimetres (3.3 in) diameter impeller rotates counter-clockwise. Left: inlet, right: outlet. .4 millimetres (0.016 in) thick vanes on 4 millimetres (0.16 in) centers
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Derelict windmill connected to water pump with water storage tank in the foreground
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Metering pump for gasoline and additives.
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Irrigation is underway by pump-enabled extraction directly from the Gumti, seen in the background, in Comilla, Bangladesh.
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Schematic of pump minimum flow protection arrangement
See also
In Spanish: Bomba hidráulica para niños
