Unit II

Principles of Hydrostatics

Source: [Link]

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Module 2: Fluid Pressure

Table of Contents
Introduction
Lesson 1: Pascal’s Law, Variation in Pressure
Lesson 2: Fluid Pressure in Manometers

Module Objectives
• To understand the concept of fluid pressure
• To understand the relationship between absolute, atmospheric, and gage
pressures
• To be familiarized with the different type of manometers
• To apply the concept of Pascal’s law in solving fluid pressure in tanks and
manometer problems

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Introduction
Hydrostatics is the study of fluids in which there is no relative motion between
fluid particles. Basically, it is the branch of fluid mechanics that deals with fluid at rest.

Lesson 1: Pascal’s Law, Variation in

Pressure
Pascal’s Law
The Pascal’s Law states that the pressure exerted at any point in a resting liquid
is distributed in all directions uniformly without decreasing.

Source: [Link]

𝑃1 = 𝑃2

Absolute and Gage Pressures

A water surface that is in contact with the atmosphere is subjected to
𝑎𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒, 𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑚 , which is approximately equal to 101.325 𝑘𝑃𝑎 (𝑆. 𝐼) at mean
sea level. Any object located below the water surface is subjected to pressure greater
than the atmospheric pressure. The additional pressure is referred to as the
ℎ𝑦𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒.

Pressure gages are usually designed to measure pressures above or below the
atmospheric pressure. The pressure measured is called the 𝑔𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒.

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The relationship between them is,

𝑃𝑎𝑏𝑠 = 𝑃𝑔𝑎𝑔𝑒 + 𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑚

Where,

𝑃𝑔𝑎𝑔𝑒 = 𝛾ℎ
where, 𝛾 = 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑, ℎ = ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑

𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑚 = 1 𝑎𝑡𝑚 = 101.325 𝑘𝑃𝑎 = 14.7 𝑝𝑠𝑖 = 760 𝑚𝑚𝐻𝑔

A negative gauge pressure is also referred to as a 𝑣𝑎𝑐𝑢𝑢𝑚 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒.

Variation in Pressure
Consider a tank filled with a fluid of unit weight, 𝛾.

The difference in pressure between pts. 1 and 2 is:

𝑃2 = 𝑃1 + 𝛾ℎ

𝑃2 − 𝑃1 = 𝛾ℎ

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Pressure Head Conversion
Consider two fluids 1 and 2, to convert, using Pascal’s Law:
𝑃1 = 𝑃2

𝛾1 ℎ1 = 𝛾2 ℎ2

𝑆𝑔1 𝛾𝑤 ℎ1 = 𝑆𝑔2 𝛾𝑤 ℎ2
𝑆𝑔2 ℎ2
ℎ1 =
𝑆𝑔1

Example 1. If the specific gravity of salt water is 1.03, what is the pressure (𝑘𝑃𝑎) 12.5 m
below the ocean?
Solution: 𝑃 = 𝛾ℎ

= 𝑆𝑔𝑠𝑤 𝛾𝑤 ℎ

𝑃 = 1.03(9.81 𝑘𝑁/𝑚3 )(12.5 𝑚)

𝑷 = 𝟏𝟐𝟔. 𝟑 𝒌𝑷𝒂

Example 2. Assuming specific weight of air to be constant at 12 𝑁⁄𝑚3 , what is the

approximate height (𝑚) of Mt. Banahaw if a mercury barometer at the base of the
mountain reads 654 𝑚𝑚 and at the same instant, another barometer at the top of the
mountain reads 480 𝑚𝑚? Sg of mercury = 13.6.
Solution: Using the difference in pressure formula,
𝑃𝑏𝑜𝑡 − 𝑃𝑡𝑜𝑝 = 𝛾ℎ

(𝛾ℎ)𝐻𝑔 𝑏𝑜𝑡 − (𝛾ℎ)𝐻𝑔 𝑡𝑜𝑝 = (𝛾ℎ)𝑎𝑖𝑟

𝑁 𝑁 𝑁
(9810 ∗ 13.6) (0.654 𝑚) − (9810 ∗ 13.6) (0.48 𝑚) = 12 ∗ℎ
𝑚3 𝑚3 𝑚3

𝒉 = 𝟏 𝟗𝟑𝟒. 𝟓𝟑 𝒎

Example 3. What is the specific gravity of olive oil if the absolute pressure (kPa) at the
bottom of the tank is 231.3 kPa and the atmospheric pressure is 101.03 kPa?

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Solution:
At the bottom of the tank,

𝑃𝑎𝑏𝑠 = 𝑃𝑔𝑎𝑔𝑒 + 𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑚

𝑃𝑔𝑎𝑔𝑒 = 𝑃𝑎𝑏𝑠 − 𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑚

𝑃𝑔 𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 = (231.3 − 101.03) 𝑘𝑃𝑎 = 130.27 𝑘𝑃𝑎

𝑃𝑔 𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 = ∑ 𝛾ℎ

𝑃𝑔 𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 = 𝛾𝑚 ℎ𝑔 + 𝛾𝑜 ℎ𝑜 + 𝛾𝑤 ℎ𝑤 + 𝛾𝑜𝑖𝑙 ℎ𝑜𝑖𝑙

130.27 = 9.81 ∗ 13.6 ∗ 0.4 + 9.81 ∗ 𝑠𝑜 ∗ 2.9 + 9.81 ∗ 2.5 + 9.81 ∗ 0.89 ∗ 1.5
𝒔𝒐 = 𝟏. 𝟑𝟖

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Self-Assessment Questions 1

1.) The specific gravity of an ocean is 1.03. If the pressure at a point in the ocean is
60 𝑘𝑃𝑎, what is the pressure (𝑘𝑃𝑎) 27 𝑚 below this point?
2.) Convert 760 𝑚𝑚 of Mercury to a. oil of 𝑆𝑔 = 0.82 and b. water
3.) Piston A has a cross section 1200 𝑠𝑞. 𝑐𝑚 while that of piston B is 950 𝑠𝑞. 𝑐𝑚 with
the latter higher than piston A by 1.75𝑚. If the intervening passages are filled with
oil whose specific gravity is 0.8, what is the difference in pressure (𝑘𝑃𝑎) between
A and B?

Ans. 13.73 kPa

Answers to Self-Assessment Questions 1

1.) The specific gravity of an ocean is 1.03. If the pressure at a point in the ocean is
60 𝑘𝑃𝑎, what is the pressure (𝑘𝑃𝑎) 27 𝑚 below this point? Ans. 332.82 kPa
2.) Convert 760 𝑚𝑚 of Mercury to a. oil of 𝑆𝑔 = 0.82 and b. water Ans. a. 12.61 m of
oil, b. 10.34 m of water
3.) Piston A has a cross section 1200 𝑠𝑞. 𝑐𝑚 while that of piston B is 950 𝑠𝑞. 𝑐𝑚 with
the latter higher than piston A by 1.75𝑚. If the intervening passages are filled with
oil whose specific gravity is 0.8, what is the difference in pressure (𝑘𝑃𝑎) between
A and B?

Ans. 13.73 kPa

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Lesson 2: Fluid Pressure in Manometer
Manometer
A manometer is a tube used to measure fluid pressure. It is normally bent in a “U”
shape, containing a liquid of known specific gravity, the surface of which shifts
proportionally to pressure changes.
Types of Manometer
Open Type – it can measure gage pressures with one leg exposed to the atmospheric
surface

Differential Type – it can measure only variations of pressure with no exposure to

atmospheric surface

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Piezometer – also an open type of manometer but a straight tube is tapped into the wall
of the container

Example 1. Determine the value of ℎ2 if ℎ1 = 3 𝑚 and ℎ3 = 4 𝑚.

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Solution:

Note: In solving manometer problems, we number in order the surfaces and interfaces of liquids

Summing-up pressure head from 1 to 3 in meters of water

𝑃1 𝑃3
+ ℎ2 (0.84) − 𝑥 =
𝛾 𝛾
0 + 0.84ℎ2 − (4 − 3) = 0

𝒉𝟐 = 𝟏. 𝟏𝟗 𝒎

Example 2. Determine the pressure (kPa) at the center of the pipe.

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Solution:

Summing-up pressure head from 1 to 3 in meters of water.

𝑃1 𝑃3
+ 1(13.55) + 1.5(0.8) =
𝛾 𝛾
𝑃3 𝑃3
0 + 14.75 = , = 14.75 𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟
𝛾 𝛾
𝑃3 = 14.75 𝑚 ∗ 9.81 𝑘𝑁/𝑚3

𝑷𝟑 = 𝟏𝟒𝟒. 𝟕 𝒌𝑷𝒂

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Self-Assessment Questions 2

1.) Find the value of y (m). The Sg of Mercury = 13.6.

2.) A closed cylindrical tank contains 2m of water, 3 m of oil (Sg = 0.82) and the air
above oil has a pressure of 30 kPa. If an open mercury manometer at the bottom
of the tank has 1 m of water, determine the deflection (m) of mercury. (Sg = 13.6)

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Answers to Self-Assessment Questions 2
1.) Find the value of y (m). The Sg of Mercury = 13.6. Ans. 0.324 m

2.) A closed cylindrical tank contains 2m of water, 3 m of oil (Sg = 0.82) and the air
above oil has a pressure of 30 kPa. If an open mercury manometer at the bottom
of the tank has 1 m of water, determine the deflection (m) of mercury. (Sg = 13.6)
Ans. 0.626 m

References
1. DIT Gillesania (2015) Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics (4th ed.)

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