PRESSURE OF A FLUID

Gauge pressure – pressure

above the atmospheric pressure.

absolute (total) pressure =

gauge pressure + atmospheric press.
Pressure is produced by the
weight of the fluid above the
surface.
 force weight of fluid
pressure = ------ = ----------------
area area
mg density · volume · g
= ----- = -------------------------
area area
density · (area · height) · g
= --------------------------------
area
pressure = density · height · g
P = ρhg gauge pressure
P = ρhg + P0 absolute pressure

SI units:
pressure: N/m2 = Pascals (Pa)
density: kg/m 3

height (depth): m
Standard atmospheric pressure
760 mm Hg ≈ 30 in Hg
Calculate 1 atm in Pascals
P = ρgh
ρHg = 13.6 x 103 kg/m3
g = 9.8 N/kg h = 0.760 m
P = 1.013 x 105 Pa
Pressure of fluid depends on depth.
Pressure does not depend on volume,
only on height (depth).

“Water seeks its own level”

More pressure at greater depth
Measure blood pressure at upper arm
same height as heart
Pascal’s Principle – The pressure
in an enclosed fluid is constant
throughout the fluid.

p1 = p2
F1 F2
--- = ---
A A
 Pascal’s Principle
When force is applied to a confined
liquid, the change in pressure is
transmitted equally to all parts of the
fluid.

Draw a bottle of water with arrows to

illustrate the regular exerted pressure.
Then draw a water bottle that you squeeze.
What happens to the pressure? What
happens if you open the top?

How does Pascal’s Principle explain what

happens if you squeeze a water bottle?
A force applied to one section
of an enclosed liquid at rest
will be transferred to the
entire liquid with the same
amount of force.
 Hydraulic Systems
A force applied to one piston increases
the fluid pressure throughout the
fluid.

If the second piston has a larger

surface area, the force is multiplied!

Pressure = Force/Area

Force/Area = Pressure = Larger

Force/Larger Area
Sample Problem 1.
A dentist’s chair makes use of
Pascal’s principle to move patients
up and down. Together, the chair and
a patient exert a downward force of
2,269 N. The chair is attached to a
large piston with an area of 1,221
cm2. To move the chair, a pump
applies force to a small piston with
an area of 88.12 cm2. What force must
be exerted on the small piston to lift
the chair?
2. An engineering student wants to build a
hydraulic pump to lift a 1,815 N crate. The
pump will have two pistons connected via a
fluid chamber. The student calculates that
a force of 442 N will be exerted on the
small piston, which will have an area of
50.2 cm2. What must the area of the large
piston be to exert the desired force?
3. The motor on a construction-
grade hydraulic shovel exerts
3.11 x 107 Pa of pressure on a
fluid tank. The fluid tank is
connected to a piston that has
an area of 153 cm2. How much
force does the piston exert?
Assignment 2

Make your own improvised pressure

measuring device with activity sheets and
instructions. To be presented on Thursday.
Rubrics
Functionality- 20 Points
Durability – 10 Points
Usability- 30 Points
Portability 10 Points
Completeness 30 Points