Fluid

Statics

In this chapter we will explore the behavior of fluids. In particular

we will study the following:
Fluid Statics:
Pressure exerted by a static fluid (Hydrostatic Pressure)
Pascal’s law
Archimedes's principle
Buoyancy
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Fluids and fluid density:
As the name implies a fluid is defined as a substance that can flow
easily. Liquid and gases are fluids. Fluids conform to the boundaries
of any containing vessel in which they are placed. For homogenous
substance, the density is defined as the ratio of the mass over the
volume.
ρ(density) =
m
V
Its standard unit is kg/m3

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Intrinsic property: A piece of material with mass distributed
uniformly, is broken into two pieces, which piece has the highest
density and which one has the lowest or same density?

M1
= same
V1
M
= same
V

M2
Density is the intrinsic = same
V2
property of material.
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 Pressure
Consider the device shown in the insert of the figure which
is immersed in a fluid filled vessel. The device can measure
the normal force F exerted on its piston from the compression
of the spring attached to the piston. We assume that the piston
has an area A. The pressure p exerted by the fluid on the piston
F
is defined as: p =
A
N
The SI unit for pressure is 2
is known as the pascal
m
(symbol: Pa). Other units are the atmosphere (atm),
the torr, and the lb/in 2 . The atm is defined as the average
pressure of the atmosphere at sea level
1 atm = 1.01×105 Pa = 760 Torr = 14.7 lb/in 2
F Experimentally it is found that the pressure p at any point
p= inside the fluid has the same value regardless of the
A
orientation of the cylinder. The assumption is made that5
the fluid is at rest.
 Measuring fluid pressure using pressure sensor

Immersed into fluid

Spring force = Pressure force (F) = kx, where x is the

compression and k is a spring constant.

Fluid Pressure (P) = 6

 Example of a pressure measuring device:

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Actual tire pressure gauge
Pressure is everywhere in a fluid

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 Pressure Force:
The pressure of the liquid acting on any surface produces a force
Note: Pressure is a scalar (has no fix direction).
However, the force F on any surface (real or imaginary) of area A due to the
pressure p in a fluid has
• magnitude: F=pA
• direction: perpendicular to the surface

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Pressure depends on the area on which force is applied:
P = F/A
Example: P = F/ A and P= F/A
If you press your finger against the balloon, most probably it does not
pop the balloon but if you push a needle against the balloon with the
same force, you get an explosive pop. Here the force is applied
against a very small area increasing the pressure by 100 times.

P = F/ A P = F/ A

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More Examples: This bird can easily walk on the lily pad because it
exerts a small pressure on the pad. The weight is spread out over a
large area by its long toes.

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 Static Fluid Pressure

We like to derive a formula for a fluid

(liquid) pressure at a depth ‘h’ from the
top surface. Let’s consider an imaginary
cylindrical volume of fluid of height ‘h’.
The free body diagram for this cylindrical
liquid showing all the forces acting on it is
shown separately. Since the whole system
is in static equilibrium,

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 In static equilibrium,
∑Fy = 0,
pA – mg – p0A = 0 (pressure force
= pA)
pA = mg + p0A
pA = Vρg + p0A (m = V. ρ, where ρ
is the density)
pA = Ahρg + p0A
p = p0 + ρgh

In general,
pbelow = pabove + ρgh
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 Gas and Liquid pressure
 The pressure of the gas is due to the collision between gas
molecules and with the container. The gas pressure is same at all
points in the container.

 In contrast to a gas, if you introduce a liquid into a container, the

force of gravity pulls the liquid down causing it to fill the bottom.
The weight of the liquid is responsible for the pressure in a liquid.
Pressure increases with depth because the liquid below is being
squeezed by all the liquid above. 15
 Important Conclusion on Pressure:

 Fluid pushes in all directions, not just

downward or against the wall (i.e., the

pressure is omnidirectional).

 Pressure increases with depth.

pbelow = pabove + ρgh

Pressure on Pressure due to the fluid

the top column

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Pabsolute - Patm is called gauge pressure, where P0 is the standard
atmospheric pressure. The pressure gauge, for example tire pressure
gauge exclude the atmospheric pressure, so it only measures
Pabsolute - Patm = ρgh, called gauge pressure.

Pgauge = Pabsolute - Patm

Questions:
 What’s the gauge pressure reading of a
normal atmospheric air?

 What does the negative pressure mean?

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Atmospheric Pressure: Hydrostatic nature

patmos = 1 atm = 101,000 Pa = 101 kPa

OR, patmos = 1.01 x 105 Pa 18

.
Sample Example

45 m,
elevation
providing
system
pressure

Pressure ?

A water tank (top end open to atmosphere) is full of water and the top of the tank is
45 m above ground. Calculate
(a) The absolute hydrostatic (when water is not flowing ) water pressure at ground
level in a pipe. (Ans: 5.42 x 105 Pa or 79 psi)
(b) The gauge pressure (Ans: 4.41 x 105 Pa or 64 psi)

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Sample Example
Hydrostatic Pressure just depends on the
vertical height(depth) from the top surface:

Find the hydrostatic absolute water pressure at

A, B, C and D shown in the diagram

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Sample Example

What is the total pressure p2 at the bottom of the cylindrical tank ?. The
density of oil = 900 kg/m3 and the density of water = 1000 kg/m3.
(Ans: 1.17 x 105 Pa)

Total pressure at the bottom is the

addition of all the pressures due to
above fluids

P2 = P1 + ρ2gh2
But P1 = P0 + ρ1gh1
P2 = P0 + ρ1gh1 + ρ2gh2
In general,

Pbottom = Ptop + ρ1gh1 + ρ2gh2 + ………

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The pressure on a submarine:
A submarine cruises at a depth of 300 m. What is the pressure at this
depth?

Answer:
P = 31 atm
That means the liquid exerts pressure
which is about 31 times the standard
atmospheric pressure
Compare: tire pressure is about 3 atm.

Some fish have been observed at depths exceeding 8000m and pressure
here is 800 atm, this is enormous pressure, how can they live ? 22
Examples of existence of atmospheric pressure:

This sleeve packet kit can be inflated

causing the pressure to increase around
the injured hand which stops bleeding

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 1 atm. Pressure ~ 2000 pounds/ft2

Youtube video: soda can crush

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKivPSVGpsw
&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy-SN5j1ogk

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Can Crush Demo Video

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 Common examples of pressure
difference

Low gas pressure

Fnet

1 atm. Pressure ~ 15 psi High (atmospheric) pressure

Vacuum suction wall hook
We can lift soda by placing a finger tip
over the straw

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 A vacuum suction wall hook is pressed against the wall,
reducing the pressure in the interior 0.500 atm. The
diameter of the hook is about 4.00 cm. Calculate the force
4.0 cm
required to separate it off the wall. 1atm = 1.01 x 105 Pa
(Answer: 63.4 N OR 14.2 pounds)

Inside P1 = 0.50 atm

Free body diagram for

pressure force
Outside P2 = 1.0 atm
P2A P1A
Fnet

Fnet = P2A – P1A

Fnet = (P2 – P1)A
This much force is required to
separate it off the wall. 27
Suction Cup Demo
Source: Youtube

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 Water seeks its own level

A connected liquid in
hydrostatic equilibrium rises to
the same height in all open
regions of the container. ‘Water
seeks its own level’.
 The pressure is the same at all
points on a horizontal line
through a connected liquid in
hydrostatic equilibrium.
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Checking Understanding

1. Is pressure at point 2 greater or smaller or equal to the pressure at point 1?

2. Is pressure at point 5 greater or smaller or equal to the pressure at point 4?

3. Is pressure at point 3 greater or smaller or equal to the pressure at point 4?

4. Is pressure at point 5 greater or smaller or equal to the pressure at point 3?

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 Barometer
Barometer uses mercury to measure the

atmospheric pressure.

At sea level the height of the mercury level

due to atmospheric pressure is h = 760 mm

 If water is used as barometric fluid, the

height will be about 10.3 m which is 34 feet.

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 Manometer:
gas pressure measuring device
The open tube manometer consists of a
U- tube filled with mercury , one end is
connected to the gas tank whose pressure
P2
is to be determined and other end is open
to the atmosphere.
P1
Example: The manometer uses mercury as
fluid. If h = 40 cm, what is the gas
pressure?
Main idea:
P1 = P2,
Pgas = P0 + ρgh = 154 kPa
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 Pascal’s law example:

A change in the pressure applied to an enclosed incompressible liquid

is transmitted undiminished to every portion of the fluid and to the
walls of the container 33
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Pascal's Principle and the hydraulic lever Ao
Fo = Fi
Pascal's principle can be formulated as follows: Ai
A change in the pressure applied to an enclosed incompressible liquid
is transmitted undiminished to every portion of the fluid and to the
walls of the container
Consider the enclosed vessel shown in the figure
which contains a liquid. A force Fi is applied
downwards to the left piston of area Ai .
As a result, an upward force Fo appears on the right
piston which ahs area Ao . Force Fi produces a
Fi
change in pressure ∆p = This change will
Ai
also appear on the right piston. Thus we have:

Fi Fo A
∆p = = → Fo = Fi o If Ao > Ai → Fo > Fi
Ai Ao Ai
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Some Application: Force multiplier

Hydraulic
Lift

Hydraulic
Brakes

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 Floating conditions:

A rock sinks , wood floats on the surface of a lake.

A penny with a mass of a few grams sinks, but a massive steel

aircraft carrier floats.

How can we understand the floating condition?

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Buoyant Force: Hydrostatic pressure increases
with depth

Fnet = Buoyant Force

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Buoyancy compensator
or device

Buoyant Force Applet

http://www.phy.ntnu.edu.tw/ntnujava/index.php?topic=446.0

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Archimedes' principle
Consider the three figures to the left. They show
three objects that have the same volume (V ) and shape
but are made of different materials. The first is
made of water, the second of stone, and the third
of wood. The buoyant force Fb in all cases is the
same: Fb = ρ f gV This result is summarized in
what is known as "Arhimedes' Principle"
When a body is fully or partially submerged in a fluid
r
a byoyant force Fb is exerted on the body by the
surrounding fluid. This force is directed upwards
and its magnitude is equal to the weight m f g of the
fluid that has been displaced by the body.
We note that the submerged body is fig.a is at equilibrium
with Fg = Fb . In fig.b Fg > Fb and the stone accelerates
downwards. In fig.c Fb > Fg and the wood accelerates
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upwards.
Explanation:

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Buoyant Force (FB):
The buoyant force exerted on any object by the
surrounding fluid is given by the Archimedes’ formula

FB = ρf Vfd g
Where ρf = density of the fluid
Vfd = volume of the fluid displaced by the object
g = acceleration of gravity

Loss of Weight (when submerged into fluid): FB

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Explanation of Archimedes principle and Buoyant force

(a) Completely submerged

Volume of the displaced fluid (Vfd)

=
Volume of an object (V0)

FB = ρf Vfd g = ρf V0 g

(b) Partially submerged

Volume of the displaced fluid (Vf)

=
Volume of an object (Vdisplaced)
Vdisplaced
FB = ρf Vfd g = ρf Vdisplaced g 42
 Float or Sink?

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Coin floats on the
surface of mercury
cause ρcoin < ρmercury

Ice cube floats on the

surface of water cause
ρice < ρwater

Floating on the
dead sea, too 44
much salt
A chunk of steel sinks, so how does a steel-hulled boat float?

F =V
B displaced ρf g

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Its because of buoyant force. An object floats if the upward buoyant force(which is also
equal to the weight of the displaced liquid) balances the weight of the object. A boat is
really a large hollow shell whose weight is determined by the volume of steel in the
hull. The boat is designed in such a way that the volume of water displaced by a shell
is much larger than the volume of the hull itself. As the boat settles into the water, it
sinks until the weight of the displaced water exactly matches the boat’s weight.
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Why does a helium filled balloon float but NOT the
air filled balloon?

FB (boyant force)
Helium
filled

Fg (force of gravity)

FB (boyant force)
Air
filled

Fg (force of gravity)

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What causes the hot air balloon (or Helium filled balloon) to rise up?
Same is true for a hot air balloon. The slight pressure force difference
at the top and the bottom provides the buoyant force which is enough
to make it float.

FB (boyant force)

Fg (force of gravity)

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Checking Understanding
 Two blocks of identical size are submerged in water. One is made of lead
(heavy), the other of aluminum (light). Upon which is the buoyant force
greater?

A. On the lead block.

B. On the aluminum block.
C. They both experience the same buoyant force.

 Without gravity the apple will not fall and the helium filled balloon
will not rise. Why?

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 2. Two identical cubes (equal mass, equal volume) floating in
liquids of different densities. The buoyant force on A ____
buoyant force on B

(a) is greater than,

(b) less than
(c) equal to the
(d) None

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Fluid statics problems

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1. In the drawing below, the water enters the house at a level 30 m
below the water level in the tank. The top end of the tank is open to the
atmosphere. Density of water is 1000 kg/m3 and 1atm = 1.013 x 105 Pa.
Calculate the static water pressure and what would be the pressure
gauge meter reading at the house in psi. (p = 57.3 psi and p = 42.6 psi )
abs gauge

1Pa = 1.45 x 10-4 psi

30.0 m

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2. At a depth of 10.9 km, the Challenger Deep in the Marianas Trench
of the Pacific Ocean is the deepest site in any ocean. Yet, in 1960,
Donald Walsh and Jacques Piccard reached the Challenger Deep in
the bathyscaphe Triete. Assuming that seawater has a uniform density
of 1024 kg/m3 , calculate the force the water would exert at a depth of
10.9 km on a round observation window of diameter 25 cm.
(5.37 x 106 N)

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3. The dam is 500 m wide, and the water is 80.0 m deep at the
dam. What is the average force on the dam due to the water?
Ignore the atmospheric pressure. (Hint: what’s the average height?)
(1.57 x 1010N)

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55
5. A patient as shown is to receive an intravenous injection of
medication. In order to work properly, the pressure of fluid containing
the medication must be 109 kPa at the injection point.
(a) If the fluid has a density of 1020 kg/m3, find the height at which the
bag of fluid must be suspended above the patient. Assume that the
pressure inside the bag is one atmosphere (0.770 m)
(b) If a less dense fluid is used instead, must the height of suspension be
increased or decreased?, explain

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6. The gas in the cylinder is at a pressure of
pgas = 3.0 x 105 Pa. How high is the column of mercury? (1.49 m)

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7. The container is filled with oil of density 900 kg/m3, it is open to the
atmosphere on the left.
(a) What is the pressure at point A? (106 kPa)
(b) What is the pressure difference between points A and B? and
between A and C? (4410 Pa for both)

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8. A research submarine has a 20 cm diameter window 8.0 cm thick. The
manufacturer says the window can withstand forces up to 1.0 x 106 N.
What is the submarine’s maximum safe depth? . The pressure inside the
submarine is maintained at 1.0 atm. (3.2 km)

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9. What is the total pressure p2 at the bottom of the tank ?. The density of
oil = 900 kg/m3 and the density of water = 1000 kg/m3. (1.17 x 105 Pa)
Hint: first find P1 and then P2= P1 + ρwater gd2

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10. In an hydraulic system shown, the left piston has a diameter of 6.0 cm
and a mass of 1.6 kg. The right piston has a diameter of 10 cm and a mass
of 3.0 kg. If the density of the fluid is 730 kg/m3, what is the height
difference h between the two pistons? (0.25 m)

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 11. Hydraulic Lift principle

• Shown below is a hydraulic lift system completely

filled with an incompressible fluid. The diameter of
Piston1 is 10 cm and the diameter of piston2 is 80 cm
and you can assume both pistons are massless. On
Piston 2 is a large weight (such as a car) having a
mass of 2000 kg (4400 pounds). What downward
force is required on Piston1 to keep the system in
equilibrium? (31kg or 306 N or 68 pounds)

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12. A U-shaped tube open to the air on both ends contains mercury.
Water is poured into the left arm until the water column is 10.0 cm
deep. How far upward from its initial position does the mercury in the
right arm rise? (h = 3.68 mm)
(hint: p1 = p2)

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13. A vacuum suction wall hook is pressed against the wall,
reducing the pressure in the interior 0.500 atm. The
diameter of the hook is about 4.00 cm. Calculate the force
4.0 cm
required to separate it off the wall. 1atm = 1.01 x 105 Pa
(Answer: 63.4 N OR 14.2 pounds)

Inside P1 = 0.50 atm

Outside P2 = 1.0 atm

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14. Two flat circular plates, each with a 12.0 cm diameter, are
separated by an O-ring. A small syringe is used to reduce the pressure
between the plates. Calculate the force (in Newtons) required to
Plexiglass
separate the plates. plates

12 cm

O-ring

(a) Calculate the total force required to separate them if the total pressure inside is 0.6
atmosphere. (~460 N or 100 pounds)
(b) Calculate the total force required to separate them if the interior space is
completely vacuum. (~1145 N or 260 pounds) 65
Buoyancy Problems

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15. A 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm wood block with a density of
700 kg/m3 floats in water.
(a) What is the distance from the tip of the block to the water if the
water is fresh? (d = 3 cm)
(b) If it’s seawater? (d = 3.2 cm)

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16. Hidden Icebergs: About 90% of the iceberg is underwater ??
Iceberg floats , in equilibrium,
FB = Wiceberg (neutral buoyancy condition)

Vdisplaced ρf g = VIceberg ρIceberg g

Vdisplaced = (ρIceberg / ρf ). Viceberg
Vdisplaced = Volume of iceberg underwater = (917/1030). Viceberg

Volume of iceberg
underwater
=
89% of Viceberg

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17. A block of plastic floats in water. 20% of the block’s volume is above
the waterline. What is the density of the block? (Answer: 800 kg/m3)

18. A piece of wood with a density of 706 kg/m3 is tied with a string to
the bottom of the water filled flask. The wood is completely immersed
and has a volume of 8.00 x 10-6 m3.
(a) Draw a free body diagram of the forces acting
on the wood
(b) What is the tension in the string? (0.0231 N)

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19. A 10 cm x 10cm x 10 cm block of steel (density = 7900 kg/m3) is
suspended from a spring scale. The scale is in N. The density of oil is
900 kg/m3
(a) what is the scale reading if the block is in air? (77 N)
(b) What is the scale reading after the block has been lowered into a
beaker of oil and is completely submerged? (69 N)

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