Chapter

9 hydrostatics Hydrostatics is the study of

a fluid at rest in stable
equilibrium.
A fluid typically refers to
either a gas or a liquid. The
study of hydrostatics dates
back to Archimedes of
ancient Greece who
described the relationship
between the upward force
(upthrust) acting on a body
immersed in fluid and the
weight of the fluid
displaced.
We now call this
relationship Archimedes’
Principle.
Chapter 9: Hydrostatics
 Pressure
Pressure is the force acting perpendicularly per unit area

N m-2
Mathematically,

Pressure = Force ÷ Area

SI unit of pressure is the pascal (Pa) or N m-2

Chapter 9: Hydrostatics
 Pressure
Which of the following exerts a larger pressure?

Recall that,
Pressure = Force ÷ Area

Chapter 9: Hydrostatics
 Liquid Pressure
ρ=m/V
Weight of liquid = mg
= Vρg
= Ahρg
Pressure exerted by the liquid on the base of the container
= Force ÷ Area
= Ahρg ÷ A
= hρg

Pressure due to a liquid column

= height of column × density of the liquid × gravitational field strength

Chapter 9: Hydrostatics
 Liquid Pressure
The pressure experienced by points at the same depth is the same.
At different depths, the pressure is different.

Chapter 9: Hydrostatics
 Liquid Pressure
Manometer
A manometer is a U-shaped tube containing liquid. It is used to measure
differences in gas or liquid pressure.
When both arms of the tube are exposed to the atmosphere, the liquid in both arms
of the tube will at be the same horizontal level.
When one arm is connected to a gas supply, the Y
gas exerts a pressure on the surface X.
Gas supply 14 cm
This causes the water level on the other arm to
rise to level Y – that is the level where the X Z
pressure at Z, which is at the same horizontal
level as X, is the same as the pressure at X.
Mercury
Since pressure difference is 14 cm Hg and
atmospheric pressure is 76 cm Hg, then
Pressure of gas = (76 + 14 )cm Hg
= 90 cm Hg

Chapter 9: Hydrostatics
 Liquid Pressure
Hydraulic System
Hydraulic systems work by using liquids under pressure. They make use of
two properties of liquids:
1. Liquids are incompressible
2. If pressure is applied to a trapped liquid, the pressure is transmitted to all parts of
the liquid

The hydraulic system is

used to lift heavy loads.
When a small force is
applied on the small piston,
For the case where A
the pressure produced is2
is larger than
transmitted throughA1, athelarge
weight,
fluid. W, can be
The pressure is lifted
by a force,
transmitted to F,
thethat is
large
smaller
piston thatlifting
hence the weight.
the
heavy load.
Chapter 9: Hydrostatics
Chapter 9: Hydrostatics
 An object that is fully or partially submerged in a fluid will experience an
upward force (upthrust) equal to the weight of the fluid displaced.

Weight of the object = Upthrust exerted on the object by fluid (for floating)

Hence, the weight of the fluid displaced is the same as the weight of the
floating object. (This is the law of floatation)

Chapter 9: Hydrostatics
 To predict whether an object will rise or sink in a fluid…

There are two forces acting on the object:

A downward force -- the weight of the object, W, and
Upthrust, U, which is the weight of the liquid displaced

The object will sink if W is greater than U and

rise if U is greater than W.

Chapter 9: Hydrostatics
 Suppose the volume and density of the object is V and ρ0,
and the density of the liquid is ρ1.

For the object to sink,

For the object to rise,

In conclusion, an object would rise in a fluid if its density is less than that
of the fluid. Conversely, an object would sink in a fluid if its density is
greater than that of the fluid.

Chapter 9: Hydrostatics