University of Jordan

Thermal and fluid science laboratory

Experiment: Hydrostatics Pressure

Name ID.Number
Aya Qzaqzeh 0174744
Farah said 0172863
Motasem Khawaldeh 0174783
Shatha Al-Mbaidin 0173971
Yara Tarawneh 0173829

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Contents
Objective ....................................................................................................................................................... 3
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 4
Theory ........................................................................................................................................................... 4
Procedure...................................................................................................................................................... 5
Apparatus ...................................................................................................................................................... 5
Calculations: .................................................................................................................................................. 6
Result .......................................................................................................................................................... 10
Application .................................................................................................................................................. 12
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 13

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Objective
1. To determine the position of the center of pressure on the rectangular face of the toroid.
2. To compare the measured value with that predicted from the theoretical analysis

3
Introduction
Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure exerted by a fluid at equilibrium at a given point within the
fluid, due to the force of gravity. Water at rest (or relatively slow-moving water) exerts a
hydrostatic pressure on the walls of of the vessel. This hydrostatic force is not the same as that
fluid force at the bottom surface of the container, as it is applied at a steeper angle and
changes with the height of water (submersion of the plane). Hydrostatic pressure increases in
proportion to depth measured from the surface because of the increasing weight of fluid
exerting downward force from above. Engineers need to know how to predict this force to help
understand the strength and design of structures needed to resist it. Calculation of the
hydrostatic force and the location of the center of pressure are fundamental subjects in fluid
mechanics. The center of pressure is a point on the immersed surface at which the resultant
hydrostatic pressure force acts.

Theory
The figure below shows a plane surface immersed in liquid. The hydrostatic force at any point
on the curved surfaces is normal to the surface there are no shearing stresses present. This
force is found to be:
𝐹 = 𝜌 𝑔 𝐴 𝑦𝑐 sin (α)
Where:
A: The area of the surface.
𝜌: The density of the liquid.
g: The gravitational acceleration.
yc: The coordinate of the centroid
Take the for when acting at the center of pressure. By taking the moment about O. The
pressure of the center will be determined. Some arrangements are needed to be made in order
to get the position of the center of pressure which is given by :
𝐼𝑥𝑥, 𝑐
𝑦𝑐𝑝 = 𝑦𝑐 +
𝑦𝑐 𝐴
Where 𝐼𝑥𝑥,C is the second moment of area about the axis parallel to the x-axis and passing
through the centroid C.

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 Figure 1: Apparatus diagram

Procedure
1. With the tank empty, calibrate the balance arm to be horizontal.
2. Fill the tank, so the water level becomes even with the edge (bottom) of the toroid. Take
the Vernier reading.
3. Add mass to the balance to level the system again, record the water level so this level at a
specific height all other measurements would relate to this first one.
4. Repete this step for the rest of data points (water levels). Each time try to choose weights
in order to get equal amount of change in the water height

Apparatus
Toroid device consist of a level, balance, weight hanger.
The balance made up of the toroid, which was balanced so that the face of the toroid was
vertical with no water present, amount of mass to counter the moment caused by the
hydrostatic force on the vertical face of the toroid.

Figure 2: Apparatus

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Calculations:
A. Partial Immersion
a= 0.1m b= 0.075m C= 0.3m d=0.1m
Table 1:Partial Immersion Data

Observed Data Calculated Data

Immersed Theoretical Experimental M/h2
h [cm] M [g] Error %
Area [m2] ycp [cm] ycp [cm] [kg/m2]
1.5 4.3 0.001125 0.75 -3.21 -528.15 19.1

3 24 0.00225 1.5 4.33 188.89 26.67

4.5 47.8 0.003375 2.25 3.38 50.4 23.6

6 81.6 0.0045 3 4.13 37.78 22.67

7.5 122.9 0.005625 3.75 4.979 32.77 21.85

9 170.2 0.00675 4.5 5.81 29.1 21.01

Sample of calculation:
1. Immersed Area
A1=h x b =(1.5/100) x0.075 = 0.001125 m2
A2=h x b =(3/100) x0.075 = 0.00225 m2
A3=h x b =(4.5/100) x0.075 = 0.003375 m2

2. Theoreticalycp [cm]
𝑏ℎ3 ℎ
Ixx,c = 12 yc= 2

7.5 𝑥 1.52
1.5 12
ycp1= 2 + 1.5 = 0.75 cm
( 2 )∗1.125

7.5 𝑥 32
3 12
ycp2= 2 + 3 = 1.5 cm
(2)∗0.225

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 7.5 𝑥 4.52
4.5 12
ycp3= + 4.5 = 2.25 cm
2 ( 2 )∗0.3375

3. Experimentalycp [cm]

4.3
𝑀𝑔𝑐 𝑥 9.81 𝑥 30
1000
ycp1 = ℎ = 1.5 = −3.21 cm
𝜌𝑔 𝐴 1000 𝑥 9.81 𝑥 𝑥 1.125
2 2
24
𝑀𝑔𝑐 𝑥 9.81 𝑥 30
1000
ycp2 = ℎ = 3 = 4.33 cm
𝜌𝑔 𝐴 1000 𝑥 9.81 𝑥 𝑥 0.225
2 2
47.8
𝑀𝑔𝑐 𝑥 9.81 𝑥 30
1000
ycp3 = ℎ = 4.5 = 3.38 cm
𝜌𝑔 𝐴 1000 𝑥 9.81 𝑥 𝑥 0.3375
2 2

4. M/h2 [kg/m2]

4.3
𝑀1
= 1000 = 19.1 kg
ℎ2 1.5 2 m2
(100)
24
𝑀2 1000 kg
= 2 = 26.67
ℎ2 3 m2
( )
100
47.8
𝑀1 1000 kg
= 2 = 23.6
ℎ2 4.5 m2
(100)

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 B. Total Immersion

Table 2: Total Immersion Data

Observed Data Calculated Data

Theoretical ycp Experimental
h [cm] M [g] Error % h-(d/2)
[cm] ycp [cm]
10 209.8 5.166666667 6.784 31.30322581 5

11 244.7 6.138888889 7.313333333 19.13122172 6

12 281.5 7.119047619 8.085714286 13.57859532 7

13 324 8.104166667 9.2 13.5218509 8

14 355 9.092592593 9.777777778 7.535641548 9

Sample of calculation:
1. Theoreticalycp [cm]
𝑏𝑑3 𝑑
Ixx,c = 12 yc= ℎ − 2 A=bd
2
0.075 𝑥 0.1
0.1
ycp1=100 × (0.10 − 2 + 0.1
12 )= 5.167 cm
0.10− ∗0.075∗0.1
2

2
0.075 𝑥 0.1
0.1
ycp2=100 × (0.11 − 2 + 0.1
12 )= 6.1389 cm
0.11− ∗0.075∗0.1
2

2
0.075 𝑥 0.1
0.1
ycp3=100 × (0.12 − 2 + 0.1
12 )= 7.119 cm
0.12− ∗0.075∗0.1
2

2. Experimentalycp [cm]

𝑀𝑔𝑐 𝑑
ycp = ℎ − (𝑎 + − 𝑦𝑐)
𝜌𝑔(𝑑− )𝐴 2
2
209.8
𝑥 9.81 𝑥 0.3 0.1 0.1
ycp1 = 1000
0.1 − (0.1 + − (0.1 − )) = 6.784 cm
1000 𝑥 9.81 𝑥(0.1− )𝑥 0.075𝑥 0.10 2 2
2
244.7
𝑥 9.81 𝑥 0.3 0.1 0.11
ycp2 = 1000
0.11 − (0.1 + − (0.1 − )) = 7.313 cm
1000 𝑥 9.81 𝑥(0.1− )𝑥 0.075𝑥 0.10 2 2
2

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 209.8
𝑥 9.81 𝑥 0.3 0.1 0.12
ycp3 == 1000
0.12 − (0.1 + − (0.1 − )) = 8.086 cm
1000 𝑥 9.81 𝑥(0.1− )𝑥 0.075𝑥 0.10 2 2
2

Figure 3: Experimental Apparatus

Figure 4: Experiment Diagram

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Result
Partial Immersion (h < d)
Ixx,c ℎ
1. Ycp = yc + 𝑦𝑐∗𝐴 Yc =
𝑏∗ℎ3
2
ℎ 𝑏∗ℎ3
Ycp =2 + 12
ℎ2 ∗𝑏
Ixx,c =
12
2
2∗ℎ A=b*h
Ycp= 3
2. m*g*R = F*r
m*g*c = ρ*g*h*A*r
h
m*c = ρ*2*h*b*(d-h+a+ycp)

*R and r are the moment arm for the weights and hydrostatic force.
ρ∗h2 ∗b 2∗h
m= * (d+a+ -h)
2∗c 3

𝑚 𝜌∗𝑏 1
= 2∗𝑐 *(d+a- 3 ∗ ℎ)
h2

𝑚 ρb(a+b) ρbh
=- +
h2 2∗𝑐 6∗𝑐

M/h2 [kg/m2] vs h
30

25

20
M/h2

15

10

0
1.5 3 4.5 6 7.5 9
h

Figure 5: Partial Immersion

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Total Immersion (h>d)
Ixx,c
1. Ycp = yc + 𝑦𝑐∗𝐴
d
d2 d Yc =h-
Yc = 𝑑 +h –2 2
12(ℎ− )
2 𝑏∗𝑑 3
Ixx,c =
12
2. M*g*c = F*L A=b*h

h-(d/2) vs M
10
9
8
7
6
M

5
4
3
2
1
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
h-(d/2)

Figure 6: Total Immersion

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Application
Water tower

A technical implementation that uses the hydrostatic pressure or the striving for a common liquid level
in communicating vessels is the water tower. In principle, a water tower is an elevated tank that is filled
with water by pumps. Due to the resulting hydrostatic pressure, the water can be forced into the lower-
lying households without additional pumps. Due to the large water reservoir in the tower, usually
several million liters, the water level sinks only relatively slowly. This ensures an almost constant water
pressure before water is pumped again when the water level falls below a certain limit.

Figure 7: Water tower

Water level

Another technical implementation that uses the hydrostatic pressure. The fact that identical water
levels form in vessels that are connected to each other is technically used in so-called water level
devices. Two vessels are each provided with a scale and connected to each other by a flexible tube filled
with water. The water level can be read off the scales. Since the same water level is reached in both
vessels, it is very easy to set the same level even over long distances where simple spirit levels cannot be
used. Water levels are used, for example, in construction technology, whereby electronic sensors are
mostly used nowadays.

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 Figure 8: water level

Conclusion
 From the results shown previously that the center of pressure is always deeper than the
center of area.
 The center of pressure is affected by the depth of water, by increasing water level the
center of pressure increase, but the center of area is constant, so the difference between
both two centers is increasing with the increase of water level.

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