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Hydrostatic Pressure Equation:
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Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure exerted by a fluid at equilibrium at any 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 equation:
Where:
Explanation: The pressure increases linearly with depth and depends on the density of the fluid and the gravitational acceleration.
Details: Hydrostatic pressure calculations are crucial in civil engineering (dam design), marine engineering (submarine design), plumbing systems, hydraulic systems, and understanding blood pressure in medical contexts.
Tips: Enter density in kg/m³ (1000 for pure water), gravity in m/s² (9.81 for Earth), and depth in meters. All values must be positive numbers.
Q1: Why does pressure increase with depth?
A: Pressure increases with depth because the weight of the fluid above increases, exerting more force per unit area at greater depths.
Q2: What is the pressure at 10 meters depth in water?
A: Using P = ρgh = 1000 × 9.81 × 10 = 98,100 Pa or approximately 98.1 kPa.
Q3: Does the shape of the container affect hydrostatic pressure?
A: No, hydrostatic pressure depends only on depth, density, and gravity, not on the shape or size of the container.
Q4: How does salinity affect water pressure calculations?
A: Saltwater has higher density (about 1025 kg/m³) than freshwater, so pressure increases faster with depth in saltwater environments.
Q5: What are common units for hydrostatic pressure?
A: Pascals (Pa), kilopascals (kPa), atmospheres (atm), bars, and pounds per square inch (psi) are commonly used units.