MAT1322 C ALCULUS II E LIZABETH M ALTAIS

6. Applications: Hydrostatic Force, Centre of Mass

H YDROSTATIC P RESSURE AND F ORCE

• Suppose a horizontal plate of area A is submerged in a fluid (at rest) of mass density ⇢ kg/m3 at
a depth d m below the surface of the fluid.

*
,
"*
"#$%& " '#%(#)
, ,
+ !

• What is the force exerted on the plate?

- %&# ./01"
"1(#2%/+ 3456# %&# $/3%# &3) 75/0'# 78 9"
&#:2# '3)) ;8$78$9" <$
=
=
'3))
"#:)1%+ >

%&# .5(2# %&# $/3%# "0# %5 5. @3%#(

5555
32%1:? 5: '3))
3456# 1% 3:"
?(361%+ 1)
A8'?8$?9"
• The pressure P on the plate is defined to be the force per unit area:

B8
,, C &+"(5)%3%12 $(#))0(# 1)
B8B?D,8$?"
Important things to know about pressure in any fluid:
• at any point in a liquid, the pressure is the same in all directions
• pressure increases with depth
• since pressure is force/area, we have P = F
= ⇢dg.
A '3)) (3(1%+
Beware of units and mass vs. weight density! "#:)1%+ EF "#$%&
G
0:1%)
H$B3?23I8 J3 25'$3(# %5 0:1%)
1:$?"
K

LDM >
<><'C<'
9/%#(:3%16#/+ H
< &%..N> < .%
D
J5%# %&#
@#1?&% "#:)1%+ O5.3 ./01" 3/(#3"+ 1:25($5(3%#) ?(361%+
B8?"
P

5..#()?.'4..%
R

,S
R C
=Q
@#1?&% "#:)1%+ "#$%& @'#31)?&%3#:"?P:.?15.5@%3.#3(P?(
P

⇤
These notes are solely for the personal use of students registered in MAT1322. c E. M ALTAIS.
1
 U
Example 6.1. A fish tank is 1.5 m long by 1 m wide by 0.7 m deep.
31'
(a) Find the hydrostatic force on the bottom of the tank.
%TN3T-

- 5: %&# 45%%5' 5. %&# %3:L %&# &+"(5)%3%12 .5(2# 1) =

,'
EQ '

5. 3// 45%%5'
A @#1?&% @3%#( 3456# 5. %3:L
V 8

8
< 3(#3 5. 45%%5' > <
"#$%& >< '3)) "#:)1%+ 5. @3%#( > < ?(361%+ >
=
= = =
9 3 $ ?

8 , WX Q> <YPZE[EYYY>[\PF>
P

8
EY]\Y 9%

(b) Find the hydrostatic force on each of the four sides of the tank.
^

U _ K
MP V_ =

`1 --
2&5$ %&# .(5:% 5. %&# %3:L 1:%5 & %&1:

U YPZ _1
&5(1N5:%3/ )%(1$) #32& 5. &#1?&% W`
=

H
=

YPZ

l
=
EPQ ' 7`

-- 9 %+$123/ )%(1$ 3% "#$%& `1 &3) 3(#3 EPQ W` ;a

-
&+"(5)%3%12 $(#))0(# 3% %&1) "#$%& 1) B1 8$?"8
V
EYYYP\PF `1

C
&+"(5)%3%12 .5(2# 5: %&1) )%(1$ 1) 3$$(5_1'3%#/+
A1 8
B1 P
3(#3 b , \FYYcZdPQ W`

%5%3/ .5(2# %&# .(5:% 5. %&# %3:L 1) 3$$(5_1'3%#/+ %&# )0'

32%1:?
C 5:

5. .5(2#) 32%1:? 5: #32& 5. %&# )%(1$) e3% "#$%& `8f "5@: %5 9= YPZ >

C
A,AT EdZYY `TW` H

g%' 9%
i
MjYEPQ
EdZYY _.W_
EdZYYDh55
m
555 A V
8 8
8

kZdZYY
ZMQYEYPZ] 5?
A _"_
=

2
 65_
)1'1/3(/+ H .5(#32&#:"5.%&#%3:L@# 25'$0%# %&# &+"(5)%3%12 .5(2# P

=
^
-
3(#35%%&1:)%(1$5.#:"3%"#$%&_1P1)

91
EP W` ']
)1_ =

_1

"#$%& 5. YEYp=YPZ
n

.(5'
A18B1918\FYY`.W`
)%(1$) (3:?#) o
-
1'

B18$?"8\FYf_1p C
V
C

C %5%3/ .5(2#
A(1%N
b\FYY_1pW`

555
A8.5n\FfY`"_8 \FYYd]c\kZ8d\YYEYPZ] =Y]E8]dYE 9%

Exercise 6.2. Suppose a vertical plate is submerged 1 m under water, where the plate has dimensions
as given in the following diagram:

M=_P1S
f'

P
=

T/'
1
U R'
0
=

,'
U`1p
,
M)_ V =

`.

MM
];
`1
,
=

, M;

3(#35.%+$1P23[)%(1$3%"#$%&_11)=M' f'
/1=gr=_P1% > q+ )1'1/3( W)
0' 8g C
H

,'

,1
=

s)_ =

`. C

9A,q=_NP%%[W`
What is the hydrostatic force acting on the plate?

$18$?"8\FYf_1p
A18B1918\Fff_1p.,<M
C
`,> >W_
=

T5. =EHM\FYYcE]EM =

_
d\YYQMdML
>"_8 `d"_ =

3
 M OMENTS & C ENTRE OF M ASS / C ENTROID OF A R EGION

Suppose a flat rectangular plate of uniform density ⇢ is situated in the xy-plane as follows:

+3

`g,
g%_(
t e#:%(# 5. '3)) 5. t 1) /523%#"
+
+%
+
= = = = = P
=

u < , ?>
8
<Tr > ,ev 4 % v% > >
1.
= - 2=
H
H

< _ '1"$51:% + '1"$51:% >

=
=

H
P

v4
=
= =
= = = =

H H
, , , ]`
` t

t9s
s&# 5. t %&# $(5"02% 5. 1%) 3:" < 0:1.5(' >
'3)) 1) 3(#3 1%)
"#:)1%+ P

%#:"#:2+
%&# $(5"02%

'o5.t345_=3_1
s&# 1) "#.1:#" 3)

;_ 8
< '3)) 5. t > )1?:#" > "1)%3:2# .(5' t R) 2#:%(# 5. '3)) %5 %&# ` =
3_1) >

C ;c8 <"#:)1%+ > P

< 3(#3 5. >

;_ '#3)0(#) %&# 5. t %5 %1$ 56#( 5( (5%3%# 3(50:" %&# `=3_1) P

'o5.D_1
+=3_1)
%&#
%&#

;+
O1'1/3(/+ H 1) "#.1:#" 3) $(5"02%

%#:"#:2+
8
< '3)) 5. t > )1?:#" > "1)%3:2# .(5' t R) 2#:%(# 5. '3)) %5 %&# >

C 8
<"#:)1%+ > < 3(#3 P
5. t > >

'#3)0(#) %&# 5. t %5 %1$ 56#( 5( (5%3%# 3(50:" %&# P

4
Now, suppose a flat plate of uniform density ⇢ is shaped like the region R which is bounded by the
curves f (x) and g(x) for a  x  b, as follows:

=
2#:%(# 5. '3)) 5. 1%& (#2%3:?/#

%&+ D
/_1)+1
w w
u >
.= x1 >
= 8
< A1) ,.. %?L1 >>
hq .1
=
-

?#%
y z 3 +

m 3 4 6 3 ,1 4

We can slice R up into n rectangles and find the centre of mass of each rectangle as well as each
rectangle’s moments about the x- and y-axis.
FACT: The moments of the union of two or more pairwise-non-overlapping regions is the sum of each
region’s moments.
We can approximate the moment of R about the x-axis as follows:

;_ ]DK< '5'#:% ;_5.1%& (#2%3:?/# >

W_5%N..%_1%%?L1
8

D <"#:)1%+ > <

P
P
3(#35.1%& (#2%3:?/#>
P

2#:%(#
> "1)%3:2#
5. '3))
5. 1%& (#2%3:?/#R)
.(5' _=3_1) >

.2)1?:#"
.1_1%+
T$ 5..?L1>> >>

.?L1Wk_
P

8
=

;_8:&1:D1,B*
;c8.34,$...LW]
1%

5 K #_32% '5'#:% 5. t 3450% _=3_1) 1)

C =

.?LW]U"_

5
 Similarly, we can approximate the moment of R about the y-axis as follows:

;+
]DK< '5'#:% (#2%3:?/# >

;+
+=3_1)
+=3_1)
.$_..L/
;+5.1%&
D <"#:)1%+ > <
8{$..x1
"1)%3:2# 5%1/& (#2%3:?/#R)
8 3(#35.1%& (#2%3:?/#> >
P
P

.2)1?:#"
?L1WPW`P,s
2#:%(# 5. .(5' >
P

'3))

.%$P_1..L1%=?2%1//)_
, =

1%

5 K #_32% '5'#:% 5. t 3450% 1)

=|
g1'3
4

;+ ?0+ >"_
=|
C =

The total mass of R is m = (density) · (area of R). Therefore '8

$.34..L/
?LW"_ =

A point mass of mass m that is located at the centre of mass of R should produce the same moments
as R.
Suppose (x, y) are the coordinates of R’s centre of mass (or “centroid”). Then

;, 8

;+ C , 8
;3+ 3:" '+=8;c C
;'#
s+ 8

Thus, R’s centre of mass (or “centroid”) is at the point (x, y) where

$(.34_..L/
?LW"_

B,x9
=

, 8
;'% 8
=

?LW"` K ,
D .34_..L/ ?LW"_
=

8 =

A/34
r43+3
,. U"_
R R
X9W =

. ?#%}

$P.1o=?LW"`
8;'= c
=

+
8

s5 s+
8

D ]
=

.?L RsU"c
6
Example 6.3. Find the moments Mx and My and the centre of mass (centroid) of a flat plate of uniform
density ⇢ = 1, shaped like the region R that is bounded by the curve y = cos(x) and the x-axis for
⇡/2  x  ⇡/2.

9n
+3
n

5_
,, D
s&

, RN*
}]U"_ P.1il_.25)L/=Y"_
R
;c8 .P x5)L1 } .5 =

;+ 8$
=
V ,
]

R
s,g
,,, v,
H\:D
R)
,. _25)L/"_
8g
RN25)dX"_
P

8 H

=
,
]

s&#

8g %N./%25)."_ > >"_ 1:L >

.)1:L/"_hP1S
8
n
=

P
2&3% 3:?/# .5('0/3
=

N&25)LE"15552#:%(51"5.t1)uTP+
s&#
8
o ._%%N)1:L_&PA, ._)1:L/%25)L1.P3N 8

8
8
f P

> @&#(#
9 V 8

]E8Y
, 8
;'% 8

1%&
8 )1:
g1%&
+=8;'~8
R
8

8 ]

k'8$9 =
E]8] C < A+1 > 8
< frT >
S TUDY G UIDE

F
⇤ Hydrostatic Pressure P = = ⇢gd = d ⇤ Hydrostatic Force F = mg = ⇢gAd = Ad
A
Z b Z b
1 1 1
⇤ Centroid x= x[f (x) g(x)]dx y= [f (x)]2 [g(x)]2 dx
A a A a 2
7