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Pressure at Depth Formula:
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Pressure at depth refers to the gauge pressure experienced at a certain depth in a fluid, calculated using the formula P_g = ρgh. This represents the pressure due to the weight of the fluid above the measurement point.
The calculator uses the hydrostatic pressure equation:
Where:
Explanation: The equation calculates the pressure exerted by a column of fluid due to gravity. For water, the standard density is 1000 kg/m³ and gravity is approximately 9.81 m/s².
Details: Calculating pressure at depth is crucial for engineering applications like dam design, submarine operations, scuba diving safety, and understanding fluid behavior in various systems.
Tips: Enter fluid density in kg/m³ (1000 for pure water), gravitational acceleration in m/s² (9.81 for Earth), and depth in meters. All values must be positive numbers.
Q1: What's the difference between absolute and gauge pressure?
A: Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to atmospheric pressure, while absolute pressure includes atmospheric pressure. P_absolute = P_gauge + P_atmospheric.
Q2: Does this formula work for all fluids?
A: Yes, but you need to use the correct density value for the specific fluid (e.g., seawater has higher density than freshwater).
Q3: How does pressure change with depth in water?
A: Pressure increases linearly with depth - for every 10 meters of depth in water, pressure increases by approximately 1 atmosphere (101.325 kPa).
Q4: Why is gravity included in the formula?
A: Gravity determines the weight of the fluid column above the measurement point, which directly affects the pressure exerted.
Q5: What are typical pressure values at different depths?
A: At 10m depth in water: ~98.1 kPa, at 100m: ~981 kPa, at 1000m: ~9.81 MPa (using ρ=1000 kg/m³ and g=9.81 m/s²).