Where does this come from, and can I check it?

The momentum of a full pipe slams into a closed valve and the shock is heard. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a everyday life fact?

Yes. It sits on the Everyday Life shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

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The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

Banging pipes happen when moving water stops abruptly

The momentum of a full pipe slams into a closed valve and the shock is heard Water travelling through a pipe carries momentum, so closing a tap quickly stops the whole column at once and the pressure spike rattles the pipework. Plumbers fit arrestors, small chambers of trapped air that compress and absorb the pulse. Loose clips make the bang louder by letting the tube move. It sits in Mondo's everyday life collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

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Tags: plumbing, pressure, noise

Banging pipes happen when moving water stops abruptly: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: The momentum of a full pipe slams into a closed valve and the shock is heard. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a everyday life fact?: Yes. It sits on the Everyday Life shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.