| Even though it may appear to be a very | | | | move will rub against any loose dust or debris and |
| complicated machine, the conventional vacuum | | | | if it is light enough, the friction will carry the |
| cleaner is actually made up of six essential | | | | material around the inside of the vacuum cleaner. |
| components: intake port, exhaust port, electric | | | | As the dirt continues on to the exhaust port, it |
| motor, fan, porous bag, and a housing that stores | | | | will pass through the cleaner bag. They tiny holes |
| all of the other components. | | | | in the vacuum cleaner bag are large enough to let |
| When you plug the vacuum cleaner into the outlet | | | | the air pass through, although too small for the |
| and turn it on, the following happens: | | | | dust particles to fit through. Therefore, when the |
| 1. First of all, the electric current will operate the | | | | air current gets into the bag, the dirt and debris |
| motor, which is attached to the fan, which | | | | will be collected there. |
| resembles an airplane propeller. | | | | You can stick the bag anywhere along the path |
| 2. As the blades begin to turn, they will force the | | | | between the intake tube and the exhaust port, |
| air upwards, towards the exhaust port. | | | | just as long as the air current passes through. |
| 3. When the air particles are driven forwards, the | | | | Suction |
| density of the particles will increase in front of the | | | | The power of a vacuum cleaner's suction will |
| fan and therefore decrease behind it. | | | | depend on several factors. The suction can be |
| The pressure drop that occurs behind the fan is | | | | stronger or weaker depending on: |
| similar to the pressure drop when you take a | | | | 1. Fan power - In order to generate a strong |
| drink through a straw. The pressure level in the | | | | suction, the motor needs to turn at a good speed. |
| area that is behind the fan will drop below the | | | | |
| pressure level that is outside of the vacuum | | | | 2. Air passageway - When a lot of debris builds up |
| cleaner. | | | | in the bag, the air will face a greater level of |
| This will create a suction inside of the vacuum | | | | resistance on the way out. Each particle of air will |
| cleaner. The ambient air will push itself into the | | | | move slowly due to the increase in drag. This is |
| vacuum cleaner through the intake port because | | | | the reason why a vacuum cleaner works much |
| the air pressure that is inside of the vacuum | | | | better once you've replaced the bag than when |
| cleaner is much lower than the pressure on the | | | | you have been using it for a while. |
| outside. | | | | 3. Size of the intake port - With the speed of the |
| Picking the dirt up | | | | vacuum fan being constant, the amount of air |
| The stream of air that the vacuum generates is | | | | that passes through the vacuum cleaner per |
| just like a stream of water. The air particles that | | | | second is also constant. |