Home
Back
Pressure Under Water Formula:
| From: | To: |
The pressure under water, also known as hydrostatic pressure or gauge pressure, is the pressure exerted by a fluid at equilibrium at a given depth due to the force of gravity. It increases linearly with depth and density of the fluid.
The calculator uses the hydrostatic pressure formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the pressure exerted by a column of fluid at a specific depth, accounting for the fluid's density and gravitational acceleration.
Details: Calculating pressure under water is crucial for engineering applications, scuba diving safety, underwater construction, and understanding fluid dynamics in various scientific and industrial contexts.
Tips: Enter fluid density in kg/m³ (1000 for fresh 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 pressure 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: How does water density affect pressure?
A: Higher density fluids exert greater pressure at the same depth. Salt water (density ~1025 kg/m³) exerts more pressure than fresh water (1000 kg/m³).
Q3: Does this formula work for all fluids?
A: Yes, the formula works for any incompressible fluid. Simply use the appropriate density value for the specific fluid.
Q4: How does gravity affect underwater pressure?
A: Higher gravitational acceleration increases pressure. On planets with stronger gravity, the same depth would result in higher pressure.
Q5: What are typical pressure values at different depths?
A: In seawater, pressure increases by approximately 1 atmosphere (101.3 kPa) for every 10 meters of depth.