WEBVTT 00:00:00.380 --> 00:00:02.409 - So I dig water towers. 00:00:02.410 --> 00:00:03.850 - Don't get me started on water towers. 00:00:03.850 --> 00:00:04.682 - Oh really? 00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:06.352 - Don't even. 00:00:06.352 --> 00:00:07.185 - You like water towers too? 00:00:07.185 --> 00:00:08.019 Or-- - I'm-- 00:00:08.019 --> 00:00:09.759 - Please, I don't wanna feel alone in this. 00:00:09.759 --> 00:00:11.009 (laughing) 00:00:11.009 --> 00:00:12.297 Please say yes. 00:00:12.297 --> 00:00:14.880 (bright music) 00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:18.461 - So when you talk about water towers, 00:00:18.461 --> 00:00:19.294 - Yes. 00:00:19.295 --> 00:00:20.128 - You have to be specific. 00:00:20.128 --> 00:00:21.500 Because if you live in New York City, 00:00:21.500 --> 00:00:22.332 - Right. - Water tower 00:00:22.332 --> 00:00:25.029 means only one thing, and that's the vessel 00:00:25.030 --> 00:00:26.810 that holds water on the top of your building. 00:00:26.809 --> 00:00:30.119 But most people I think, when they hear water tower, 00:00:30.120 --> 00:00:31.480 they think of the water tower that's in 00:00:31.480 --> 00:00:32.369 the center of their town. 00:00:32.369 --> 00:00:33.202 - [Interviewer] That's true. 00:00:33.203 --> 00:00:36.720 - And if you came at the right time, in twilight, 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:39.189 and you're not quite fully there, 00:00:39.189 --> 00:00:41.199 it looks like, they all almost look like 00:00:41.200 --> 00:00:42.250 they landed from Mars. 00:00:42.250 --> 00:00:43.082 - Right. 00:00:43.082 --> 00:00:44.689 - Aliens comin' down. 00:00:44.689 --> 00:00:49.179 In fact, during the broadcast of "War of the Worlds" 00:00:49.179 --> 00:00:50.670 there are people thinking it's real 00:00:50.670 --> 00:00:52.850 and they were described as having these, 00:00:52.850 --> 00:00:54.798 you know, and so people were shooting water towers. 00:00:54.798 --> 00:00:55.631 (whooshing) (clinking) 00:00:55.631 --> 00:00:56.463 - [Interviewer] Shooting water towers. 00:00:56.463 --> 00:00:58.759 - Yeah, thinking that was what was being described. 00:00:58.759 --> 00:01:00.289 Anyhow, so-- 00:01:00.289 --> 00:01:01.348 - Kinda cool, actually. 00:01:01.348 --> 00:01:03.149 (laughing) 00:01:03.149 --> 00:01:04.849 - Water towers are interesting because 00:01:04.849 --> 00:01:06.500 it gives you water pressure 00:01:07.569 --> 00:01:10.319 without electricity, provided it's full of water. 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:11.152 - Right. 00:01:11.153 --> 00:01:12.410 - All right? But how do you get the water up there? 00:01:12.409 --> 00:01:14.060 You gotta pump it. 00:01:14.060 --> 00:01:15.640 Water doesn't get there by itself. 00:01:15.640 --> 00:01:16.472 - Okay, now-- 00:01:16.472 --> 00:01:18.560 - How you gonna get water up to the top of your roof? 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:19.409 You gotta pump it. 00:01:19.409 --> 00:01:20.359 That takes electricity. 00:01:20.359 --> 00:01:21.310 So here's what happens. 00:01:21.310 --> 00:01:22.843 You pump the water up to the tower. 00:01:22.843 --> 00:01:24.293 Oop, now that's a blackout. 00:01:25.269 --> 00:01:28.459 You still have water until that tank empties. 00:01:28.459 --> 00:01:29.292 - Right. 00:01:29.293 --> 00:01:30.390 - Then you don't have water. 00:01:30.390 --> 00:01:31.409 - 'Cause you have gravity. 00:01:31.409 --> 00:01:32.506 As long as you have gravity-- 00:01:32.506 --> 00:01:34.423 - As long as you have, well, gravity to pull the water 00:01:34.423 --> 00:01:35.302 from-- - To pull the water from-- 00:01:35.302 --> 00:01:36.135 the tower. - Then you have it. 00:01:36.135 --> 00:01:37.493 - Right. 00:01:37.492 --> 00:01:39.649 - So basically, if the electricity goes out, 00:01:39.650 --> 00:01:42.210 quickly fill up everything with water. 00:01:42.209 --> 00:01:44.059 And then it'll be gone and then you could, 00:01:44.060 --> 00:01:46.240 you don't have to be stank, you know, the next day. 00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:48.079 - So now here's the interesting question. 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:50.899 If you gotta pump the water up to the tower, 00:01:50.900 --> 00:01:51.733 - Right. 00:01:51.733 --> 00:01:53.240 - Why not just pump the water straight 00:01:53.239 --> 00:01:55.519 to the people's apartments in the building? 00:01:55.519 --> 00:01:57.229 - Oh, 'cause they might not need it in that moment. 00:01:57.230 --> 00:02:01.796 Plus, you want enough water at any given instant 00:02:01.796 --> 00:02:02.629 (water trickling) 00:02:02.629 --> 00:02:03.569 to accommodate-- - To everybody. 00:02:03.569 --> 00:02:04.659 - [Neil] If everybody wants to take a shower, 00:02:04.659 --> 00:02:05.492 they can do it. 00:02:05.492 --> 00:02:07.189 - [Interviewer] Right, because all the water is right 00:02:07.189 --> 00:02:08.740 in this one tank. - Right in that one thing. 00:02:08.740 --> 00:02:10.620 But if you, therefore, everybody would have to have 00:02:10.620 --> 00:02:12.234 a pump, and what's the point of that? 00:02:12.234 --> 00:02:13.067 - [Interviewer] Right. 00:02:13.067 --> 00:02:13.900 - Right, right. 00:02:13.900 --> 00:02:15.120 So it has that efficiency, okay? 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:16.247 - See, I like water towers even more now. 00:02:16.247 --> 00:02:17.770 - Now here's another thing. 00:02:17.770 --> 00:02:20.310 Have you ever noticed the buckles that go around 00:02:20.310 --> 00:02:21.550 the water tower that holds theme together? 00:02:21.550 --> 00:02:23.332 - Yes, they're like little metal rods that go 00:02:23.331 --> 00:02:24.164 all the way round. - The metal rods. 00:02:24.164 --> 00:02:25.439 Yeah, have you ever noticed those? 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:26.272 - Yes I have. 00:02:26.272 --> 00:02:27.105 - Have you ever thought about them? 00:02:27.105 --> 00:02:28.599 - Uh, not really. 00:02:28.599 --> 00:02:31.150 - Let's split the water tower into three levels, right? 00:02:31.150 --> 00:02:32.909 - Okay. - Top, middle and bottom. 00:02:32.909 --> 00:02:34.280 - Okay, that would be a good three. 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:37.770 - So you can ask, what is the weight of the water 00:02:37.770 --> 00:02:39.060 of that top third? 00:02:39.060 --> 00:02:41.039 It's whatever it is, okay? - Right. 00:02:41.039 --> 00:02:42.500 - [Neil] Call it 500 pounds. 00:02:42.500 --> 00:02:44.250 - [Interviewer] 500 pounds. 00:02:44.250 --> 00:02:45.930 - [Neil] So now I put a little buckle around that. 00:02:45.930 --> 00:02:47.069 - [Interviewer] Right. 00:02:47.068 --> 00:02:47.901 - [Neil] Okay? Right at that spot. 00:02:47.901 --> 00:02:50.462 Let me go to the bottom of that. 00:02:51.689 --> 00:02:53.819 Now what is the weight of water at that point? 00:02:53.819 --> 00:02:55.180 Well, it's the top part-- - It's 500, 00:02:55.180 --> 00:02:56.319 - Plus 500 - Plus 500. 00:02:56.319 --> 00:02:58.250 - It's 1000 pounds. - It's 1000 pounds. 00:02:58.250 --> 00:03:00.328 - Well if-- - Plus the 500 at the bottom 00:03:00.328 --> 00:03:01.161 pushin' up. - I didn't get there yet. 00:03:01.161 --> 00:03:02.500 I didn't get there yet. - Sorry. 00:03:02.500 --> 00:03:06.750 - [Neil] So if one of these hoops is 00:03:06.750 --> 00:03:09.240 the right strength to hold 500 pounds, 00:03:09.240 --> 00:03:10.219 - [Interviewer] Right. 00:03:10.219 --> 00:03:12.789 - [Neil] Then that one, I need more than one hoop 00:03:12.789 --> 00:03:14.239 to hold it down here. 00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:15.073 - [Interviewer] Right, yeah. 00:03:15.073 --> 00:03:15.906 - [Neil] I need two. 00:03:15.906 --> 00:03:16.739 - [Interviewer] Right. 00:03:16.739 --> 00:03:18.390 - [Neil] If one can hold 500 and two will hold the thousand. 00:03:18.389 --> 00:03:19.564 Now I'm at the bottom. 00:03:19.564 --> 00:03:20.397 (water gurgling) 00:03:20.397 --> 00:03:22.449 I have 500 plus 500, I got 1500 pounds 00:03:22.449 --> 00:03:23.560 pressin' down the bottom. 00:03:23.560 --> 00:03:24.581 - [Interviewer] Right. 00:03:24.581 --> 00:03:26.000 - [Neil] I need three of those hoops. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:26.832 - [Interviewer] Gotcha. 00:03:26.832 --> 00:03:27.665 - Okay? 00:03:27.665 --> 00:03:30.222 Go look at the water towers on the tops of buildings. 00:03:31.169 --> 00:03:33.655 The hoops get closer and closer together-- 00:03:33.655 --> 00:03:34.487 - Closer and closer as you get to the bottom. 00:03:34.487 --> 00:03:35.639 - As you get to the bottom. 00:03:35.639 --> 00:03:38.292 Just because of this fact, the water gets heavy. 00:03:39.490 --> 00:03:40.640 - Nice. 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:42.500 That is more than you ever wanted to know about water. 00:03:42.500 --> 00:03:44.396 - I know, it is, it is so too much. 00:03:44.396 --> 00:03:45.229 (laughing) 00:03:45.229 --> 00:03:46.129 - And it's so cool as far as I'm concerned. 00:03:46.129 --> 00:03:48.090 - If they're equally spaced, the person didn't know 00:03:48.090 --> 00:03:49.370 what they were doing and you should not 00:03:49.370 --> 00:03:50.680 move into that building. 00:03:50.680 --> 00:03:53.069 Because the base of the water tower would not be 00:03:53.069 --> 00:03:55.810 as structurally sound as the upper portions, 00:03:55.810 --> 00:03:57.689 and that's, you know, that's where the stuff goes bad. 00:03:57.689 --> 00:03:59.533 - You better have flood insurance if that happens. 00:03:59.533 --> 00:04:00.829 (laughing) 00:04:00.830 --> 00:04:01.930 Wow, that is so cool. 00:04:01.930 --> 00:04:02.763 Water towers. - Water towers. 00:04:02.763 --> 00:04:03.831 A little bit of physics. 00:04:03.831 --> 00:04:04.664 - A little bit of physics. 00:04:04.664 --> 00:04:05.497 - A little bit electricity. 00:04:05.497 --> 00:04:06.330 - It's all happenin'. 00:04:06.330 --> 00:04:07.163 - Oh, one last thing, one last thing. 00:04:07.163 --> 00:04:08.099 - Oh, cool. 00:04:08.099 --> 00:04:10.419 - If a building in Manhattan is lower than 00:04:10.419 --> 00:04:13.619 about six stories, it doesn't need a water tower. 00:04:13.620 --> 00:04:14.453 - All right. 00:04:15.340 --> 00:04:18.699 Hm, because, wait, let me guess. 00:04:18.699 --> 00:04:21.610 Because you can get the water to every apartment 00:04:21.610 --> 00:04:23.389 just through the regular pressure of a pump? 00:04:23.389 --> 00:04:24.659 - Yes, no, it's not a pump. 00:04:24.660 --> 00:04:25.493 - Not a pump. 00:04:25.492 --> 00:04:27.480 - It's the height of the reservoir that's 00:04:27.480 --> 00:04:31.890 feeding Manhattan has that elevation above Manhattan. 00:04:31.889 --> 00:04:33.135 - [Interviewer] Gotcha. So the pressure 00:04:33.136 --> 00:04:35.070 is already there. - So the water falls. 00:04:35.069 --> 00:04:38.903 The water falls from the reservoir 00:04:38.903 --> 00:04:40.829 into your faucet. - Into your faucet. 00:04:40.829 --> 00:04:42.050 - Over that height. 00:04:42.050 --> 00:04:43.060 And you know something? 00:04:43.060 --> 00:04:44.740 The ancient Romans knew that. 00:04:44.740 --> 00:04:45.939 The aqueducts. - Aqueducts were 00:04:45.939 --> 00:04:47.110 built on that. 00:04:47.110 --> 00:04:49.139 - Aqueducts, some of which, 00:04:49.139 --> 00:04:50.759 pieces of which are still standing, 00:04:50.759 --> 00:04:51.593 - [Interviewer] Yeah. 00:04:51.593 --> 00:04:54.730 - Was a channel that fed a lake, 00:04:54.730 --> 00:04:56.140 or whatever was their water supply, 00:04:56.139 --> 00:04:58.789 which was at a higher elevation than Rome. 00:04:58.790 --> 00:05:00.520 And they scoop up that water and the water 00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:02.659 just goes down all by itself. - By itself. 00:05:02.660 --> 00:05:03.780 - No pump necessary. 00:05:03.779 --> 00:05:05.099 - Boy, they don't build those aqueducts 00:05:05.100 --> 00:05:06.052 like they used to. 00:05:06.052 --> 00:05:06.920 - I know, and it's still standing. 00:05:06.920 --> 00:05:07.753 - Yep. - We got stuff 00:05:07.752 --> 00:05:09.399 here fallin' down that built 10 years ago. 00:05:09.399 --> 00:05:10.919 And that's up for 2000 years. 00:05:10.920 --> 00:05:12.430 - God dag. 00:05:12.430 --> 00:05:14.009 - That just meant the mayor 00:05:14.009 --> 00:05:16.149 - Of Rome. - Of Rome. 00:05:16.149 --> 00:05:17.828 Spent too much money building it. 00:05:17.829 --> 00:05:18.790 (laughing) 00:05:18.790 --> 00:05:20.450 If your structures outlive your civilization 00:05:20.449 --> 00:05:21.560 by 2000 years? 00:05:21.560 --> 00:05:22.565 - Yeah. 00:05:22.565 --> 00:05:23.399 - You overbuilt. 00:05:23.399 --> 00:05:24.314 - You probably overbuilt. 00:05:24.314 --> 00:05:25.230 That's very funny. 00:05:25.230 --> 00:05:26.370 All right, there you go. 00:05:26.370 --> 00:05:27.579 Who knew there was so much to learn 00:05:27.579 --> 00:05:28.689 about water towers? 00:05:28.689 --> 00:05:30.490 So next time I wash my hands, I'm gonna remember 00:05:30.490 --> 00:05:31.730 how far that water had to travel 00:05:31.730 --> 00:05:32.840 into my building. 00:05:32.839 --> 00:05:33.673 Yes, right. 00:05:33.673 --> 00:05:36.100 By the way, I never wash my hands. 00:05:36.100 --> 00:05:38.010 Okay, if you're interested in learning more 00:05:38.009 --> 00:05:39.579 about hydrostatic pressure, 00:05:39.579 --> 00:05:42.669 why our everyday appliances are constructed 00:05:42.670 --> 00:05:44.480 in certain ways, or how we use gravity 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:46.150 to our advantage every single day, 00:05:46.149 --> 00:05:48.129 you should check out Brilliant. 00:05:48.129 --> 00:05:50.290 Whether you're into superpowers, 00:05:50.290 --> 00:05:52.490 or, well of course, that's superpowers, 00:05:52.490 --> 00:05:55.410 or a life long learner, or just somebody who 00:05:55.410 --> 00:05:56.640 is naturally curious, 00:05:56.639 --> 00:05:58.439 - Or if you're weirdly into water towers 00:05:58.439 --> 00:05:59.819 like he is. 00:05:59.819 --> 00:06:01.500 - Brilliant will help you master concepts 00:06:01.500 --> 00:06:03.129 in math, science, and engineering through 00:06:03.129 --> 00:06:05.290 solving fun, challenging problems. 00:06:05.290 --> 00:06:08.000 I'm looking through the Outside the Box Geometry course. 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:10.069 These beautiful geometry problems have 00:06:10.069 --> 00:06:13.139 such amazing solutions that I wanna read 00:06:13.139 --> 00:06:15.669 the solutions even if I got it correct. 00:06:15.670 --> 00:06:18.860 It's so much fun, I don't even realize that I'm learning. 00:06:18.860 --> 00:06:20.960 This is seriously amazing stuff. 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:22.849 And as a bonus to StarTalk viewers, 00:06:22.850 --> 00:06:26.040 the first 78 that go to Brilliant.org/startalk-- 00:06:26.040 --> 00:06:27.580 - [Neil] Where'd you pull that number out of? 00:06:27.579 --> 00:06:29.319 You know what? Thin air! 00:06:29.319 --> 00:06:30.269 Right there. 00:06:30.269 --> 00:06:33.129 You'll get 20% off an annual subscription 00:06:33.129 --> 00:06:36.029 which helps you think like a scientist. 00:06:36.029 --> 00:06:37.219 - You know where I pull numbers out of? 00:06:37.220 --> 00:06:38.053 - Where? 00:06:38.052 --> 00:06:39.129 - Thin space. 00:06:39.129 --> 00:06:40.913 - Ooh, snap, he's-- - That's thinner 00:06:40.913 --> 00:06:41.920 than your thin air. 00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:43.279 - 'Cause there's no atmosphere. 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:44.112 You know what I mean? 00:06:44.112 --> 00:06:45.639 He pulls his number, they go forever. 00:06:45.639 --> 00:06:47.849 If you wanna see more videos from StarTalk, 00:06:47.850 --> 00:06:50.340 hit the Subscribe bar and click the little bell button 00:06:50.339 --> 00:06:52.089 to get notifications every single time 00:06:52.089 --> 00:06:53.579 that we upload a video. 00:06:53.579 --> 00:06:57.750 And give us a like or a comment to express your passion. 00:06:57.750 --> 00:06:58.583 Okay? 00:06:58.583 --> 00:07:01.010 So make sure that you check us out 00:07:01.009 --> 00:07:03.310 and make sure that you check him out. 00:07:03.310 --> 00:07:05.019 Because every time you do, he's gonna tell you 00:07:05.019 --> 00:07:05.980 the same thing. 00:07:05.980 --> 00:07:08.173 - I'm gonna tell you to keep looking up. 00:07:08.173 --> 00:07:10.757 (bright music)