Valve

engineering · fluid flow · machines

Controls flow. Valves work by opening and closing passages to let fluids like water or air move where they need to go. The fluid naturally flows from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure, and the valve decides whether to allow it.

Built for control. Valves are actually fittings, which are pieces that connect pipes and tubes together. But they're so important and special that engineers talk about them as their own separate category because they do something extra, controlling what flows through.

Ancient word origin. The word valve comes from Latin, a language people spoke long ago in Rome. It originally meant the moving part of a door, from the word volvere, which means to turn or roll, something doors definitely do!

Found in nature too. Valves aren't just human inventions, they exist in nature as well. Your heart has valves that make sure blood flows in only one direction, keeping you alive and healthy.