CE04: Fluid Mechanics

Fluid Pressure

Pressure is defined as a normal force exerted by a fluid Pressure in a fluid at rest is independent of the shape or
per unit area. cross section of the container. It changes with the vertical
distance, but remains constant. in other directions.
SI Units of pressure: Therefore, the pressure is the same at all points on a
1 𝑁/𝑚2 = 1 𝑃𝑎 horizontal plane in a given fluid. The Dutch mathematician
1 𝑏𝑎𝑟 = 105 𝑃𝑎 Simon Stevin (1548–1620) published in 1586 the principle
1 𝑎𝑡𝑚 = 101325 𝑃𝑎 illustrated in the figure. Note that the pressures at points
A, B, C, D, E, F, and G are the same since they are at the
The actual pressure at a given position is called the same depth, and they are interconnected by the same
absolute pressure, and it is measured relative to static fluid. However, the pressures at points H and I are
absolute vacuum (i.e., absolute zero pressure). Most not the same since these two points cannot be
pressure-measuring devices, however, are calibrated to interconnected by the same fluid. Also notice that the
read zero in the atmosphere, and so they indicate the pressure force exerted by the fluid is always normal to the
difference between the absolute pressure and the local surface at the specified points. A consequence of the
atmospheric pressure. This difference is called the gage pressure in a fluid remaining constant in the horizontal
pressure. Pgage can be positive or negative, but direction is that the pressure applied to a confined fluid
pressures below atmospheric pressure is sometimes increases the pressure throughout by the same amount.
called vacuum pressures and are measured by vacuum This is called Pascal’s law, after Blaise Pascal (1623–
gages that indicate the difference between the 1662).
atmospheric pressure and the absolute pressure.
Absolute, gage, and vacuum pressures are related to
each other by
𝑃𝑔𝑎𝑔𝑒 = 𝑃𝑎𝑏𝑠 − 𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑚

Problem No. 1
A vacuum gage connected to a chamber reads 5.8 psi at
a location where the atmospheric pressure is 14.5 psi.
Determine the absolute pressure in the chamber.

Pressure at a Point
Pressure is the compressive force per unit area, and it
PRESSURE MEASUREMENT DEVICES
gives the impression of being a vector. However, pressure
at any point in a fluid is the same in all directions. That is,
The Barometer
it has magnitude but not a specific direction, and thus it is
Atmospheric pressure is measured by a device called a
a scalar quantity.
barometer; thus, the atmospheric pressure is often
referred to as the barometric pressure.

Problem No. 2
Determine the atmospheric pressure at a location where
the barometric reading is 740 mm Hg and the gravitational
acceleration is g = 9.805 m/s2. Assume the temperature
of mercury to be 10°C, at which its density is 13,570
kg/m3.

Problem No. 3
“the pressure at a point in a fluid has the same Intravenous infusions usually are driven by gravity by
magnitude in all directions” hanging the fluid bottle at sufficient height to counteract
the blood pressure in the vein and to force the fluid into
Variation of Pressure with Depth the body. The higher the bottle is raised, the higher the
Pressure in a fluid increases with depth because more flow rate of the fluid will be. (a) If it is observed that the
fluid rests on deeper layers, and the effect of this “extra fluid and the blood pressures balance each other when
weight” on a deeper layer is balanced by an increase in the bottle is 1.2 m above the arm level, determine the
pressure. gage pressure of the blood. (b) If the gage pressure of the
fluid at the arm level needs to be 20 kPa for sufficient flow
“pressure in a static fluid increases linearly with depth” rate, determine how high the bottle must be placed. Take
the density of the fluid to be 1020 kg/m 3.

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CE04: Fluid Mechanics
Fluid Pressure

The Manometer Practice Problems:

A manometer commonly used to measure small and 1. The absolute pressure in water at a depth of 8 m is
moderate pressure differences. A manometer consists of read to be 175 kPa. Determine (a) the local
a glass or plastic U-tube containing one or more fluids atmospheric pressure, and (b) the absolute pressure
such as mercury, water, alcohol, or oil. at a depth of 8 m in a liquid whose specific gravity is
0.78 at the same location.
Problem No. 4 2. A vacuum gage connected to a tank reads 45 kPa at
A manometer is used to measure the pressure of a gas in a location where the barometric reading is 755
a tank. The fluid used has a specific gravity of 0.85, and mmHg. Determine the absolute pressure in the tank.
the manometer column height is 55 cm, as shown in the Take ρHg = 13,590 kg/m3.
figure. If the local atmospheric pressure is 96 kPa, 3. The basic barometer can be used to measure the
determine the absolute pressure within the tank. height of a building. If the barometric readings at the
top and at the bottom of a building are 730 and 755
mmHg, respectively, determine the height of the
building. Assume an average air density of 1.18
kg/m3.
4. Determine the pressure exerted on a diver at 20 m
below the free surface of the sea. Assume a
barometric pressure of 101 kPa and a specific gravity
of 1.03 for seawater.
5. A mercury manometer (ρ = 13,600 kg/m3) is
connected to an air duct to measure the pressure
inside. The difference in the manometer levels is 10
mm, and the atmospheric pressure is 100 kPa. (a)
Judging from the figure, determine if the pressure in
the duct is above or below the atmospheric pressure.
(b) Determine the absolute pressure in the duct.

Problem No. 5
The water in a tank is pressurized by air, and the pressure
is measured by a multifluid manometer as shown in the
figure. The tank is located on a mountain at an altitude of
1400 m where the atmospheric pressure is 85.6 kPa.
Determine the air pressure in the tank if h1 = 0.1 m, h2 =
0.2 m, and h3 = 0.35 m. Take the densities of water, oil,
and mercury to be 1000 kg/m 3, 850 kg/m3, and 13,600
kg/m3, respectively.

6. The pressure in a natural gas pipeline is measured by

the manometer shown in the figure with one of the
arms open to the atmosphere where the local
atmospheric pressure is 14.2 psi. Determine the
absolute pressure in the pipeline.

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CE04: Fluid Mechanics
Fluid Pressure

7. The gage pressure of the air in the tank shown in the

figure is measured to be 65 kPa. Determine the
differential height h of the mercury column.

8. The pressure difference between an oil pipe and

water pipe is measured by a double-fluid manometer,
as shown in the figure. For the given fluid heights and
specific gravities, calculate the pressure difference
∆𝑃 = 𝑃𝐵 − 𝑃𝐴 .

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