Home
Back
Hydrostatic Pressure Formula:
| From: | To: |
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 fluid at rest 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 in various engineering applications, including dam design, submarine operations, blood pressure measurement, and many hydraulic systems.
Tips: Enter fluid density in kg/m³ (1000 for water), gravitational acceleration in m/s² (9.81 on Earth), and height of the fluid column in meters. All values must be positive numbers.
Q1: Why is density important in pressure calculation?
A: Denser fluids exert more pressure at the same depth because they have more mass per unit volume, resulting in greater weight.
Q2: Does the shape of the container affect hydrostatic pressure?
A: No, hydrostatic pressure depends only on depth, not on the shape or size of the container.
Q3: What is the standard value for water density?
A: Pure water has a density of approximately 1000 kg/m³ at 4°C, though this varies slightly with temperature.
Q4: How does gravity affect hydrostatic pressure?
A: Greater gravitational acceleration increases pressure because it increases the weight of the fluid column above a point.
Q5: Can this formula be used for gases?
A: While the same principle applies, gases are compressible so density changes with pressure, making the calculation more complex than for liquids.