Do siphons work only off of gravity or is there some other force keeping the liquids together to keep the flow moving?
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It’s almost like a gravity powered vacuum pump.
If you can get a flow of water going through a length of hose, as long as the “out” end is below the “in” end, the vacuum created by the flow of water out, aided by gravity will continously pull water through the length of hose.
Gravity and air pressure.
If we have an upside-down U-shaped tube with water on one side, gravity will pull the water down and out.
If we have water on both sides, gravity will pull down on both sides, causing lower pressure at the top. If one side is shorter, the pressure of outside air will force liquid up that side because of the low pressure at the top.
Siphons work because of gravity and pressure. If you take either away then they quit. A siphon in a vacuum (let’s pretend that we don’t have a problem with the water boiling away) won’t work. And a siphon in a weightless environment (no gravity effects) won’t work.
Pressure is what’s keeping the fluid together in the tube. If you try to siphon over too high a barrier it’ll quit because there isn’t enough pressure to keep the fluid together and you’ll get a vacuum (looks like a bubble but isn’t) inside the tube.
Water also has a hydrogen bond. This gives it an attraction to other hydrogen bonds (more water). When it moves it drags everything else with it. Like an elastic band around your fingers then extend your pinky type of pull.
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