FLUID STATICS AND

MANOMETRY
Hydrostatics

• Fluid statics (or Hydrostatics) is the branch of fluid mechanics

which studies systems in which the fluid is at rest (i.e., fluid
velocity is zero or is uniform and constant relative to an inertial
reference frame.
Note: Fluids at rest experience no shear stress.
Pascal’s principle: The pressure in a fluid at rest is the same at all
points with the same elevation.

Basic Principle
The basic property of a static fluid is pressure. Pressure is familiar as
a surface force exerted by a fluid against the walls of its container.
It also exists at every point within a volume of fluid.
• Consider a differential volume of fluid at rest whose volume is dx
dy dz
• Consider the x-direction:
P
P P+ x
dx

For fluid at rest:

 Fx = 0
 P 
 Fx = Pdydz − P + dx  dydz = 0
 x 
P
=0
x

• The same goes for y-direction. Therefore, pressure does not vary in x- or y-direction.
• Consider the z-direction:

For fluid at rest:

 Fz = 0
 P 
F
 z = Pdxdy −  P + dz  dxdy − gdxdydz = 0
 z 

This suggests that pressure varies in vertical direction. This is the equation
that represents the hydrostatic principle (Pascal’s principle).
The Hydrostatic Principle
Assumptions:
• There is no shear stress along z, i.e. static fluid.
• Gravity is the only force acting on the fluid.
• z-axis direction is defined vertical and upward
• Since P does not vary along x- and y-direction:

• Here, gc is the Newton’s law correction factor equal to

1 kg.m N-1 s-2 or 32.174 ft.lbm lbf-1 s-2.
• For incompressible fluids (constant ), integrating the equation

g
P = − z
gc
• For compressible fluids at constant temperature, assuming ideal
gas law applies, integrating the equation

P g M
ln 2 = − ( z2 − z1)
P1 gc RT
• If the temperature is not constant, the following equation in
integral form applies:
P2 g M z dz
ln = − 
P1 gc R 0 T(z)

• In some part of our atmosphere, T varies with height. In

troposphere (up to  11 km):

T = To + z
• where  = - 0.00651 K m-1 (for air).
• The variation of pressure with height is given by the following
equation:
P g M To + z2
ln 2 = − ln
P1 gc R To + z1

• In stratosphere (about 11 to 32 km), T is constant at  -550C.

• Pressure Measurement
Bourdon gauge normally used to measure gauge pressure in
pipeline (on-line measurement)

Barometer used to measure atmospheric pressure

Manometer used to measure unknown pressure, or
differences of two unknown pressures
• Manometry
• Manometry is a common and accurate method of measuring
relatively low fluid pressure by causing the pressure to raise a
column of liquid.
• Consider simple U-tube manometer shown
• Applying Pascal’s principle with A as the reference point:

g
PA − PB +  h1 = 0
gc

• Applying Pascal’s principle with D as the reference point:

g
PD − PC + man h2 = 0
gc
• Subtracting equation 2nd equation from the first and knowing that
PC = PB and PD = Patm: g g
PA − PD +  h1 − man h2 = 0
gc gc

g
PA = Patm + ( manh2 − h1 )
gc

Rules of thumb for multiple-tube manometers:

• Any two points at the same elevation in a continuous volume of the same
liquid are at the same pressure.
• Pressure increases as one goes down a liquid column.