Back to topics

Why did saving flush water require redesigning the toilet?

A smaller tank does not by itself explain a good flush. The water must arrive, clean the bowl, and carry material through the outlet. EPA’s performance tests and a named siphonic-jet bowl make the design problem tangible: water volume is one measurement, while moving that water effectively is another.

3–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • How does the amount of water differ from how quickly it moves?
  • What would a useful flush-performance test measure besides an empty bowl?

Start reading

Ready to try your ideas aloud?

Your topic carries over. Record up to 2½ minutes, depending on your plan.

Engineering and inventions

How GPS finds you, and fixes its clock

Your phone can work out where it is by listening to signals from far above Earth. But turning a signal's travel time into a distance also creates a clock problem: the receiver must account for its own timing error.

12–15 min
Engineering and inventions

Across an ocean inside a fiber-optic cable

A message crossing an ocean can travel through glass fibers lying on the seabed. The light inside, the layers around it, and the equipment along the route each solve a different problem.

8–10 min
Engineering and inventions

Why does one pedal turn take you different distances?

Changing bicycle gears changes the relationship between your pedals and the rear wheel. The teeth on the chainring and sprocket help explain why the same turn of the pedals can produce a different distance along the road.

3–5 min
Why did saving flush water require redesigning the toilet? | Speech Topic | speaking.app