CHAPTER 2

PRESSURE

The intensity of pressure, at any point in a fluid, is the amount of force per unit area.
F
P=
A
Gage Pressure
Pressure above or below the atmosphere and can be measured by pressure gages or
manometers.

Atmospheric Pressure (or Barometric Pressure)

Pressure caused by gases in the atmosphere
Under Normal Conditions:
Patm = 101.325 kPa = 14.7 psi = 760 mm Hg (torr) = 29.92 in Hg

Absolute Pressure
Pabs = Patm + Pgage
Pabs = Patm – Pvac

Pressure Measuring Devices

1. Barometer
2. Manometer
3. Gauges

Types of Manometer
1. Open Manometer
2. Differential Manometer
3. Piezometer

The difference in pressure between any two points in a homogenous fluid at rest is equal to the
product of the unit weight of the fluid and the vertical distance between the points.
p2 − p1 = h
p1 = 0 if p1 is on the free liquid surface

Free liquid surface

Note
A free liquid surface (FLS) is the surface which is subject to the atmospheric pressure (no gage
pressure).
Therefore, the pressure at any point below the free surface of a liquid equals the product of the unit
weight of the liquid and the depth of the point.
p = h
Pressure Head, h
p
h=

To convert height of liquid A to liquid B:
sAhA = sBhB

Pressure below the layers of different liquids:

p = air pressure

Liquid 1

h1
Liquid 2

Liquid 3 h2

h3
Pressure at the interface of liquid 1 and liquid 2, pint erface = p + 1h1

Pressure at the bottom, pbottom = p + 1h1 +  2h2 +  3h3

Example 1
What is the pressure 40 m below the ocean? 404.17 kPa

p =  sw h = ssw  w h ssw = sw
w
 N  N
p = 1.03  9810 3  ( 40 m ) = 404,172 2 = 404.17 kPa
 m  m

Exercises
1. Find the absolute pressure in kPa at a depth of 12 m below the free surface of oil of sp. gr.
0.75 if the barometric reading is 740 mmHg.
2. A tank contains oil sp. gr. = 0.80, gasoline sp. gr. =0.90, and sea water. If the depths of the
liquids are 0.50 m, 0.80 m and 1.0 m for oil, gasoline and sea water, respectively.
(a) Find the pressure at a depth of 0.7 m;
(b) Find the pressure at the interface of gasoline and sea water and;
(c) Find the pressure at the bottom of the tank.
3. If the pressure in the tank of oil (s = 0.8) is 300 kPa, what is the equivalent height in
(a) meters of water,
(b) meters of gasoline and
(c) mmHg
4. If a depth of liquid of 1.2 m causes a pressure of 6 kPa, what is the specific gravity of the
liquid?
5. If the pressure 17 m below a liquid is 260.4 kpa, determine it’s (a) unit weight, (b) mass
density, and (c) specific gravity. If the pressure at a point in the ocean is 2,560 psf, what is the
pressure 70 ft below this point?
6. If the pressure in the air space above an oil (s = 0.85) surface in a closed tank is 126 kPa
absolute, what is the pressure 3 m below the surface?
7. A pressure gage at elevation 12 m at the side of the tank reads 100 kPa. Another gage at
elevation 7 m reads 140 kPa. Determine the specific gravity of the liquid.
8. An open tank contains 5.7 m of water covered with 2.8 m of kerosene (  = 8 kN/m3). Find the
pressure at the interface and at the bottom of the tank.
9. If the atmospheric pressure is 108.2 kPa and the gage attached to the tank reads 192 mmHg
vacuum, find the absolute pressure within the tank.
10. In the figure shown, if the atmospheric pressure is 101.03 kPa and the absolute pressure at
the bottom of the tank is 214.3 kPa, what is the height of olive oil?

11. Convert 580 mm of mercury to (a) oil (s = 0.82), (b) water, (c) gasoline (s = 0.91)
12. Assuming specific weight of air to be constant at 12 N/m3, what is the approximate height of
Mt. Manunggal if a mercury barometer at the base of the mountain reads 512 mm and at the
same time another barometer at the top of the mountain reads 360 mm
13. A barometer reads 760 mmHg and a pressure gage attached to a tank reads 750 cm of oil
(s =0.84). What is the absolute pressure in the tank in kPa?
14. In the figure shown, what is the static pressure in kPa in the air chamber?

15. Determine the pressure difference between the water pipe and the oil pipe.