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Hydrostatic Pressure Formula:
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Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure exerted by a fluid at equilibrium at a given point within the fluid, due to the force of gravity. It increases in proportion to depth measured from the surface because of the increasing weight of fluid exerting downward force from above.
The calculator uses the hydrostatic pressure formula:
Where:
Explanation: The pressure at any point in a static fluid depends only on the depth of that point, the density of the fluid, and the acceleration due to gravity.
Details: Calculating hydrostatic pressure is crucial for engineering applications like dam design, submarine construction, scuba diving safety, and understanding blood pressure in medical contexts.
Tips: Enter fluid density in kg/m³ (1000 for water), gravitational acceleration in m/s² (9.81 for Earth), and depth in meters. All values must be positive numbers.
Q1: What is 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 water pressure depend on the shape of the container?
A: No, hydrostatic pressure depends only on depth, density, and gravity, not on the container's shape or total volume of fluid.
Q3: How does salt water affect pressure calculations?
A: Salt water has higher density (approximately 1025 kg/m³ vs 1000 kg/m³ for fresh water), resulting in slightly higher pressure at the same depth.
Q4: What is the pressure at 10 meters depth in water?
A: Approximately 98,100 Pa or 98.1 kPa (using ρ=1000 kg/m³, g=9.81 m/s², h=10 m).
Q5: How is this related to Pascal's principle?
A: Pascal's principle states that pressure applied to an enclosed fluid is transmitted undiminished to every portion of the fluid and to the walls of the container, which is fundamental to hydraulic systems.