Unit III Principle of fluid Pressure

Unit Pressure: amount of pressure per unit area; p

P=P\A

Pascal’s Law: at any point in a fluid at rest, the pressure is the same in all directions

B y
P2

0 P1

C D x

P3

Small wedge- shaped volume, BCD side

BC is vertical CD is horizontal BD makes any
angle w/ the horizontal

Let A1, A2, and A3 and P1,P2, and P3

represent, respectively, the area of these sides
and the pressure to w/c they are subjected.

P1A1=P3A3 sin0

P2A3=P3A3cos0

But A3sin0=A1 and A3cos0=A2

Therefore: P1=P2=P3

Hydrostatic Pressure Distribution

Pressure is the same in all directions at any point, but not the same at different points.

In a stationary fluid, pressure variations can result from gravitational or other field effects. In a
moving fluid they can occur when accelerations or shear are induced.

For the special case of a stationary fluid experiencing no body forces, the pressure is the same at
all points. When the body force is due to gravity acting vertically downwards, we find that:

1. There is no horizontal variation in pressure

2. There is a vertical pressure distribution which counterbalances the fluid weight.
A pressure condition w/c satisfies these conditions is termed hydrostatic (hydro as in water, static as in
stationary).

Z=0 w.s ↓P0

Z=-Z P

p- pO =sg Z

P0= pressure at the arbitrary datum z=0

When dealing with a free surface, it is usual to express the pressure as a function of the depth below the
surface. If the surface is at atmospheric pressure:
P-Patm=pgd

Variation of pressure with Depth in a Fluid

Assuming a body of liquid at rest having a specific weight, and with its free surface along plane
AB. Consider a small prism of this liquid with endpoints at 1 and 2 and w/ uniform closs sectional area of
dA.

X
Y dF1
h1
x

h=Lsin0 h2

Let us let: L=length of the prism

H1=Distance of pt.1 from the free surface
H2=distance of pt. 2 from the free surface
P1= unit pressure at end 1
P2= unit pressure at end 2
The forces acting on the prism them are:
*Pressure forces at the ends
dF1=P1dA
dF2=P2dA
*Gravity force or weight; dW
dW=w(dV) where dV=LdA

Since the fluid is at rest then sum of forces along X-axis

∑Fx =0 component along X of dW

dF2-dWsin0-dF1=0

subs.values:

P2dA-w(LdA)sin0-P1dA=0

Thus: P2-P1=wh ; where h=Lsin0

This equation shows that the difference in pressure between any two points in a homogeneous
fluid (constant w) at rest varies directly as the difference in depth or elevation of the two points.

NOTE: 1. If pts 1 and 2 lie along the same horizontal plane (h=0) then pressures at the points are equal.
Conversely, all points having equal pressures lie along a horizontal plane.

2.If point 1 lies along plane AB, assuming that the free surface is exposed to the atmosphere
pressure, Pa, then P1=Pa and now the intensity of pressure at pt.2 is

P2= Pa + wh

Considering pt. 2 as a general pt. in the liquid below the free surface, then the pressure at a vertical
distance, h, is

P=Pa + wh

Absolute and gage pressure

Fig. J shows two cylinders A and B connected by a tube and contain liquid with specific weight w.

In cylinder A, the liquid surface is exposed to atmospheric pressure, Pa, while in cylinder B is a piston
of negligible weight carrying a load of weight W.

The pressure at pt. 1 on the free surface is Pa and assuming that the system is in equilibrium, the
pressure at pt. 2 is

P2= Pa + wh,

This is the same as the pressure at pt. 3 on the same horizontal plane, thus

P4= Pa + wh; the pressure in the liquid just at the lower side of the piston

3.