1. Fluid pressure, p, is the force exerted on a unit area.

If (P) represents the total force on an area A, and dP is

the elemental force on an elemental are dA, the intensity
of pressure is,

dP
p = dA

If the pressure is uniform over the area A, then

P
p = A

Units:
English : lb/in2 (psi)
Metric : kg/m2
SI : N/m2 (Pa) or kN/m2 (kPa)
2. Pascal’s Law : “At any point in a fluid at rest, this
pressure is the same in all directions.
pA
pA pA

 A pA  pA

pA pA
pA

3. Any point on a liquid at rest is subjected by a hydrostatic

pressure which is acting perpendicular or normal to the
surfaces of the point.

p
p
4. Any external pressure upon a liquid on a vessel is
transmitted with equal intensity to all points of the
containing vessel.

p
p 

5. Variation of Pressure in a Fluid: 

“the pressure at any point in a
fluid at rest is equal to its specific
h F
weight times the vertical
distance of the point from the p
surface.”
p = F h
Example: If fluid is Mercury (Hg), sp. gr. = 13.6

h Hg

p

p = Hg h
p = w (s.g.)Hg h
6. Atmospheric, Gage and Absolute Pressure
Atmospheric or Barometric Pressure (patm)
- the pressure exerted by the atmosphere on every
surface with which it comes in contact. Under
normal conditions, standard atmospheric pressure
is equal to 14.7 psi (101.3 kPa).

Under Normal Conditions:

patm = 2166 lb/ft2
= 14.7 psi
= 30 inches of Hg
= 762 mmHg
= 101.3 kPa
patm determined:

Fv = 0
pg
W patm(A) = W + pg(A)
h patm(A) = (Vol) + pg(A)
patm
patm(A) = (A)h + pg(A)
patm = h + pg0
patm patm
patm = h
A
Hg
Gage Pressure (pg)
- pressure measured by means
of gages above or below the atmospheric level.
At sea level pg = 0.

Absolute Pressure (pabs)

- the pressure measured above absolute zero.
At sea level, under normal conditions, absolute
pressure is 14.7 psi (101.3 kPa).
 pabs = pgage + patm

pgage (+)
patm = 14.7 psi (101.3 kPa)
pgage (-) pabs

patm is pabs
pabs

Abs 0
7. Pressure head, h - the height of a column of
homogenous fluid of specific weight, , that will
produce an intensity of pressure p at its bottom.

8. Transmission of Pressures. At any point, 2, h units

below point 1 the pressure is:

p=0 p1 = 0 +  h1
h1
1 p2 = p1 +  h2
3
h2 =  h1 +  h2
h3
2 p2 =  (h1 + h2)

p3 = p2 -  h3
Definition:
Free Liquid Surface (FLS) – is the surface which is
subject to the atmospheric pressure (no gage pressure).

Pressure head (h) – a column of homogeneous fluid

of unit weight “” that will produce an intensity of
pressure p.


Pressure head can be
expressed as:
Hg
h 𝒑
h=
p 𝜸𝒇

p = Hg h
A free liquid surface (FLS) is the surface which is
subject to the atmospheric pressure (no gage
pressure, pg = 0)

Consider points 1 and 2 lies on the same elevation so

that “h” between them is zero (h = 0); then:

p1 = p2

Therefore, the pressure along the same horizontal plane in a

homogeneous fluid at rest are equal.
Pressure Head
The height “h” of a column of homogeneous fluid of
unit weight “” that will produce an intensity of
pressure p.
𝒑
h=
𝜸

To convert the height of liquid A to liquid B (different

sp.gr.) to give the same pressure at the bottom of tank.

pA = pB
A A hA = B hB B
hA s.g.A hB
s.g.B
w(s.gA)hA = w(s.gB)hB
 Example:
w(s.gA)hA = w(s.gB)hB If the pressure in a tank is 30
kPa, find the equivalent
(s.gA)hA = (s.gB)hB pressure head of (a) water, (b)
mercury, and (c) heavy fuel oil
with a specific gravity of 0.92.
𝒔. 𝒈.𝑩 𝒉𝑩
𝒉𝑨 = a) 𝒌𝑵
𝟑𝟎 𝟐
𝒔. 𝒈.𝑨 𝒑 𝒎
hw = = 𝒌𝑵
𝜸 𝟗.𝟖𝟏 𝟑
𝒎
or
hw = 3.06 mH2O

𝒔. 𝒈.𝑨 𝒉𝑨 b) 𝒔. 𝒈.𝑾 𝒉𝑾 𝟏 𝟑. 𝟎𝟔 𝒎
𝒉𝑩 = 𝒉𝐇𝐠 = =
𝒔. 𝒈.𝑩 𝒔. 𝒈.𝑯𝒈 𝟏𝟑. 𝟔

hHg = 0.225 mHg

c) 𝒔. 𝒈.𝑾 𝒉𝑾 𝟏 𝟑. 𝟎𝟔 𝒎 You can also use Mercury
𝒉𝐡𝐨 = =
𝒔. 𝒈.𝒉𝒐 𝟎. 𝟗𝟐 (Hg) here

hho = 3.326 mHeavyOil

Additional Examples:

 Find the atmospheric pressure in kPa if a mercury

barometer reads 742 mm

patm = Hg hHg

patm = W (s.g.W)hHg
𝒌𝑵
patm = (9.81 )(13.6)(0.742 m)
𝒎𝟑
𝒌𝑵
patm = 98.99 𝒎𝟐
Example:
A pressure gage 19.0 ft above the bottom of a tank containing a
liquid reads 13.19 psi; another gage at height 14.0 ft reads 15.12
psi. Compute for the specific weight, mass density, and specific
gravity of the liquid. (No figure)

Where:
Making a figure p =  h
(15.12 – 13.19)(144) =  (19 – 14)
13.19 psi 𝒍𝒃
= 55. 6 𝟐
h 𝒇𝒕
15.12 psi
19 ft
 = 𝟓𝟓.𝟔 𝒔𝒍𝒖𝒈
 = 𝒈 𝟑𝟐.𝟐
= 1.73
𝒇𝒕𝟑
14 ft

𝒇 𝟓𝟓.𝟔
s.g. = = = 0.891
𝒘 𝟔𝟐.𝟒
6. Calculate the pressures at A, B, C, and D. Air trapped here
will have the
same pressure
with the surface of
Air A Air liquid it comes in
 contact with and
Level of 0.3 m C transmitted to all
Same  surfaces like walls
pressure 1 0.3 m Oil on its
  sides and above
s.g. = 0.9
0.6 m B

pB = pC
hu hd
1m
Water D


We will start here where the surface is exposed to atmosphere

and pg = 0

hup = hdown , the amount of pressure to be added due hd = to pressure to be

subtracted due to hu can only happen if there is continuous contact of same
liquid
 p1 = 0 Going to level B from level C

Going to level A from level 1 pC = p B

pA = p1  h1-A
Going to level C from level D
pA = 0  (9.81 kN/m3)(0.6 m) pD = pC + ohC-D
pA =  5.886 kPa pD = pC + (s.g.o)whC-D

Going to level B from level 1 pD = 5.886 + (0.9)(9,81)(1.9)

pB = p1 + h1-B pD = + 22.66 kPa
pB = 0 + (9.81 kN/m3)(0.6 m)
pB = + 5.886 kPa
Example:
Solution:
It is better to label each level
with numbers to represent it.
Using the transmission of
pressure principle we have:
p1 = 0
p2 = p1 + SAEhSAE
= 0 + (0.89)(9.81 kN/m3(1.5 m)
p2 = 13.096 kN/m2
p3 = p2 + whw
= 13.096 + (1)(9.81)(2.5)
p3 = 37.621 kN/m2
p4 = p3 + (s.g.olive)w holive
= 37.621 + (s.g.olive)w holive
= 37.621 + (s.g.olive)(9.81)(2.9)
p5 = p4 + Hg hHg
p5 = [37.621 + (28.449)(s.g)] +
(13.6)(9.81)(0.4)
p5 = 90.9874 + (28.449)(s.g) Eqn 1
But:
p5 = pbottom = 231.3 kPa abs
p5g = 231.3 – 101.3
p5g = 130 kPa Eqn 1
 Equating 1 and 2 (note: both p5 are in gage pressures)

90.9874 + (28.449)(s.g) = 130

130 − 90.9874
s.g =
24.449

s.g = 1.37 (for Olive Oil)

Alternate Solution: All in gage pressures

p5 = p1 + SAEhSAE + WhW + oliveholive + HghHg

231.3 – 101.3 = 0 + (0.89)(9.81)(1.5) + (1)(9.81)(2.5) + (s.go)(9.81)(2.9) + (13.6)(9.81)(0.4)

s.g = 1.37 (for Olive Oil)

Absolute pressure converted to gage with the subtraction of 101.3 kPa to make it
compatible to the right side of the equation.
NOTE:
In another solution, the “all gage pressure“ terms on the right
side of the equation can be made absolute pressure by adding
101.3 kPa to gage pressure zero at point 1 then that absolute
pressure of point 1 can be transmitted to the succeeding levels.
Remember, it is only a one time adding of 101.3 at point 1 then
its being absolute can be carried to the other levels.
Example:
Solution:

pO = pressure reaction of oil

pO is then transmitted up to the

Level of contact area of plunger
and oil. Going up transmission
will be a subtraction of pressure
because of a decrease of weight
of oil at the level of contact of
𝑊 44,000 𝑁 plunger and oil.
p= =
𝐴 0.323 𝑚2
So,
p = 136,222.9 N/m2
pp = po + oho
p = 136.223 kN/m2
pA = pressure at the plunger’s bottom

pp = po + oil(hoil)

= 136.223 – (0.78)(9.81)(4.6)

= 101.025 kN/m2

pA = balances pp and is used to determine F

F = pA  Aplunger
𝑁
F = 101.025(1000)𝑚2(0.00323) m2

F = 326.31 N