Demonstration of Water Clock

This demonstrates the first man made cybernetic system, namely a water clock. If water flows at a constant rate into a tank, the height of water indicates the time. But how to ensure water flows at a constant rate?

Can have water coming from a hole in another tank. But the flow depends on the weight of water in that tank, so will reduce as the tank empties.

So use a float to measure amount of water in the top tank: when the float drops it opens a valve allowing water to come in to top up that tank.

The graph showing how the height varies with time is a straight line if the flow is constant.

Keyboard controls

Press R to restart, U and D to speed up or down, T to show tank, F to show float, V to use valve

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