LESSON 2

PRESSURE

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 Objectives
• To introduce idea of pressure
• To express pressure in terms of head of fluid
• To measure pressure using manometers

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 Pressure and buoyance
• Fluid composed by molecules and atoms constantly wiggling
around
• When contained in vessel particles will collide with walls of
container
• Collision will change momenta of individual particles
• Change of momentum will impact impulse over time interval
hence wall of vessel will feel a force
• Pressure P at a given point on a wall is defined as the force
component perpendicular to the wall at a point per unit area
ie P = F/A
• Pascal is the unit of pressure with 1 pa = 1 N/m 2

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 Pressure
• 1 bar = 105 Pa
• 1 atmospheric pressure = 101,325 Pa =
1,103.25 millibar

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 How does Fluid Power Work?
Pascal's Law expresses the
central concept of fluid
power:

"Pressure exerted by a
confined fluid acts
undiminished equally in
all directions."

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 Archimedes’ Principle
• An object that is completely or partially submerged in
a fluid experiences an upward buoyant force equal to
the weight of the fluid displaced.

2 lb

2 lb The buoyant force is due

to the displaced fluid.

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 Buoyance force
• Caused by increase of pressure in a fluid with
depth
• It is independent of the distance of the body
from the free surface
• Also independent of the density of the solid

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 Calculating Buoyant Force
The buoyant force FB is due to
the difference of pressure DP
between the top and bottom Area FB h1
surfaces of the submerged block.
FB mg h2
P   P2  P1 ; FB  A( P2  P1 )
A
FB  A( P2  P1 )  A(  f gh2   f gh1 )
Buoyant Force:
FB  (  f g ) A(h2  h1 ); V f  A(h2  h1 )
FB = rf gVf
Vf is volume of fluid displaced.
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 A 2-kg brass block is attached to a string and submerged
underwater. Find the buoyant force. Density of brass is 8700
kg/m3

All forces are balanced:

FB = rwgVw
mb mb 2 kg
b  ; Vb  
Vb b 8700 kg/m3

Vb = Vw = 2.30 x 10-4 m3

Fb = (1000 kg/m3)(9.8 m/s2)(2.3 x 10-4 m3)

FFBB == 2.25
2.25 N
N
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 Floating objects:
When an object floats, partially submerged, the buoyant
force exactly balances the weight of the object.

FB FB = rf gVf mx g = rxVx g

rf gVf = rxVx g

mg Floating Objects: rrf f VVf f == rrxxVVxx

If Vf is volume of displaced Relative Density:

water Vwd, the relative density  x Vwd
r  
of an object x is given by: 10
 w Vx
 A student floats in a salt lake with one-third of his
body above the surface. If the density of his body is
970 kg/m3, what is the density of the lake water?

Assume the student’s volume is 3 m3.

Vs = 3 m3; Vwd = 2 m3; rs = 970 kg/m3

rrww VVwdwd == rrssVVss 1/3

 s Vwd 2 m3 3s 2/3

  ; w 
 w Vs 3 m 3
2

3  s 3(970 kg/m 3 )
w   rrww == 1460 kg/m
1460 kg/m
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2 2 11
 Barometer
• Barometer is used for atmospheric
pressure measurement
• Mercury column will come to
equilibrium A

• PB = PA + ρHg gh
• PB is the atmospheric pressure and
PA is the vapour pressure of Hg at
the prevailing temperature
• At 20˚C, PA is 1.56x10-6 atm, this B
pressure may be neglected at that
temperature
• Therefore PB = P atmospheric = ρHg
gh

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 Pressure head
• Pressure in fluids arises from many sources eg
pumps, gravity, momentum
• Since P = ρgh, a height of liquid column can be
associated with the pressure P arising from
such sources
• This height is known as the pressure head

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 Example
• A gauge pressure in water mains is 50 kN/m2,
what is the pressure head?

• P = ρgh, g = 9.81 m/s2 and ρ water = 1000

k/m3,

• therefore h = P/ρwater g = 50 000/(9810) = 5.1

m
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 Manometers
• Manometer or liquid gauge measures pressures
• Uses relationship between pressure and gauge to give
readings
• Used to measure small and moderate pressure
differences
• Consists of a glass or plastic U- Tube containing one or
more fluids such as mercury, water, alcohol or oil
• The fluids should be immiscible
• Heavy liquids such as mercury are used if large
differences are anticipated
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 Piezometer
• Simply a tube attached to a container
containing a liquid
• Open end exposed to the atmosphere
C

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 Piezometer

• PA = PC+ pgh = Patmospheric + pgh

• PA must be > PC or liquid will be sucked into the
chamber
• PA must not be >> PC or a long tube is required
• The problem with this type of gauge is that in civil
engineering applications the pressure is large e.g.
100 kN/m2 and height of column is impractical

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 U- tube manometer
• To overcome the problem with the piezometer, the U-
tube manometer seals the fluid by using a measuring
(manometric) liquid
• Consists of glass tube bent in U-shape
• One end is connected to a point at which pressure is
to be measured, the other end remains open to the
atmosphere
• U-tube contains liquid whose specific gravity is greater
than the specific gravity of liquid whose pressure is to
be measured, generally mercury
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U-tube manometer

• In reference to the figure:

• PA =P1
• P2 = P1 +ρ1gh1
4
• P2 =P3

• P3 = P4 + ρ2gh2

• From 1 and 2, PA = P2 – ρ1gh1 and this with 3

becomes
• PA = P3 – ρ1gh1 and in turn with 4 becomes:
• PA = P4 + ρ2gh2 – ρ1gh1
• P4 = 0 (atmospheric)

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 Example
• A U-tube manometer is used to measure the pressure of a
fluid of density 800 kg/m3. If the density of the manometric
liquid is 13600 kg/m3, what is the gauge pressure in the
pipe if
a. h1 = 0.5 m and D is 0.9 m above BC. Answer = 116.1 kPa
b. h1 = 0.1 m and D is 0.2 m below BC. Answer = -27.47 kPa

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