Vacuum is the absence of matter. From my understanding, vacuums work by fans and air currents....I don't understand.
It's a name, it's not that important. You can call them suction cleaners if you want. .
RandyG and bill are absolutely spot on I will vote for them, bless. The reason the hoovers (sic) were so called is that it sounded terribly scientific in an age (many, many years ago) that the science was an ultra-important thing, to the average Mrs of a household, specially in America. But my theory is simpler - a goddam sucker does not sound so very nice, and in the 1930's it would not have gone down well with the middle class US who were the people who would be buying them. Not even 60 years ago in the uk, wives would beat the carpets on the line out in the back yard 'cos they no way could afford a 'hoover' - think on't, lad...... They had no washing machine. They hadn't even heard of a dish washer. Most houses here had not got central heating, a telephone of any sort, and half had no fridge they used a 'larder' and shopped every day since nothing would keep. Points to ponder, what your Gran and Parents lived through, innit?
No you don't understand. All fans work on the idea of a partial vacuum behind the blades. As the blades turn they push air out in front and suck in air in the back. By the way, my preferred suction cleaner is the Binford 3000 Super Sucker.
Vacuum cleans don't suck. They create a low pressure area inside the machine by blowing out air (matter) and the outside air pressure blows air into the cleaner to fill in the void left behind. So you could call it a blow cleaner, but that doesn't sound as nice in an advertisement. The low pressure area inside the machine is a partial vacuum, so the name is accurate.
