EXPERIMENT 1: HYDROSTATICS

I. Purpose
The experiment help students to understand the basic equation or hydrostatics and apply to
some problems associated with compressed fluid in at static state.

II. Theory

The state of static and compressed fluid is described by this equation:

p
z+
γ
= const (1.1)

With z is the elevation of any point in the static fluid mass, constant specific weight γ , and p
p
is hydrostatic pressure, the value of z + is also called the water pressure measurement in
γ
meter. From this equation, we can have some applications:
1. Isobaric surface
Isobaric surface is a surface on which the pressure is the same. A specific image of isobaric
surface which we can see is atmospheric surface. When pressure at points on the atmospheric
surface is equal, the height of them is either equal, then.
2. Fluid manometer
Applying basic equation for calculating the pressure at any point in the static fluid mass. If a
point has the elevation z0 and pressure p0, the pressure at the point having the elevation z is:
p = p0 + γ (z0 – z) = p0 + γ h (1.2)
Whereas, surface 0-0 is a standard surface for comparision.
By measuring the height h, we can determine the pressure p.
 3. Calculating the specific gravity of fluid
If we have p0, p, both z0 and z, from (1.2) we can measure the specific weight of fluid:
p− p 0
γ=
z 0−z
The basic equation (1.1) is established when neglecting the affect of capillary. In the case
when the fluid inside a small tube having diameter equal to less than 3mm, equation (1.1) is
no more accurate. If the fluid is water, alcohol, oil… fluid level in the tube, having small
diameter, will be higher than the tube with large diameter. If the fluid is mercury, fluid level
in the tube, having large diameter, will be higher than the tube with small diameter.

III. Experiment equipment:

 The experiment fluid equipment:

The manometer contains a group of tube numbered from 1 to 10 are set on the board with an
elevated ruler, accurate to millimeter. The diameter of tubes di is 5mm (except group of tubes
2 with the diameter equal to less than 3mm). In these tubes:
- Tube 1 and 3 are used as fluid manometers to measure the atmospheric pressure in
vessel T
- Group of tubes 2 containing tube 21, 22, 23 with diameters 1mm, 2mm, 3mm
respectively are used to observe the capillary phenomenon.
- 3 U-shaped tubes are couple tubes 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, containing fluids needed to determine
its specific gravity.
Tube 10 and 3 are used to observe equipressure surface. The atmospheric pressure of tube 1,
4, 6, 8 is the atmospheric pressure in vessel T. The elevation of fluid level in tubes is Li.
Creating pressure part contains static closed vessel T and un-static opened vessel Đ, which is
hang on block 12, have water. Due to crank 11, we can change the height of vessel Đ to differ
the atmospheric pressure in vessel T.

IV. Experiment steps

 1. Check the standard figure of the ruler (in millimeter), whether the rulers are in the
horizontal plane by reading the water level in tube 3 and tube 10. These 2 tube need to
have the same water level.
2.
- Using the crank 11 to lift the vessel Đ to the pitch (the free surface of vessel Đ
have to be higher than the free surface of vessel T about z0 - zr = 15  20cm)
- Start to measure the water level of tube 1 to 10 and record the result (also the
group tube 2)
- Lower the vessel Đ to the average position (z0 – zr = 5  7 cm) and to the low
position (z0 – zr = -15  -20cm). Start to measure like above and record the result
to the table.
V. Computational instruction
1. Calculate the pressure of the air in vessel T
From (1.2), the pressure in vessel T can be calculated by:
pt = pa +γ H 2 O (L3 −L1) (1.4a)

The specific weight of water γ H 2 O tank can be determined depend on the temperature of the
environment. If we assume pa = 0, we can calculate the error pressure:
pT =γ H 2 O ( L3 −L1)
d
(1.4b)

In 3 position of vessel Đ, we can calculate 3 figures of atmospheric the pressure of the vessel.
2. Determine the specific gravity of the liquid in U-shaped tubes
Consider liquid has specific weight . In the static state, 2 branch I and i+1 of U-shaped tube,
the pressure in vessel T can be calculated by:
pT = pa +γ (Li+1 −Li ) (1.5)

Compare with (1.4a), we have the equation to calculate the specific weight of this liquid:
( L3−L1)
γ=γ H 20 (1.6)
( Li+1 −Li)

3. Calculate the error of this method

Using the error theory, from equation (1.4b), we can determine the relative error p:
∆( p T ) ∆ [ γ H 20 ( L3−L1 ) ]
δ p= =
pT ∆ γ H 2 O ∆ L3−∆ L1
γ H 20∨L3−L1∨¿= + ¿
γ H 2O ¿ L3−L1∨¿ ¿

So the relative error of this method equal to the total of 2 relative error:
- Relative error while calculating the density of water:
∆γ
δ H 2 O= H 2O
γ H 2O
- Relative error when reading the elevation in the scale
 ∆ L3−∆ L1
δL = 3−1
¿ L3−L1 ∨¿ ¿

In conclusion: δ p=δ γ +δ L H2O 3−1

Usually, we use δ γ =0.12% and∆ L1=∆ L3=0.5 mm

H2O

4. Calculate the error when determine  of the liquid in U-shaped tube

From equation (1.6), we can determine the relative error of this equation in U-shaped tube.

∆ γ ∆ γ H 2O ∆ L3−∆ L1
δγ= = +
γ γ H 2O ∆ γ H 2 O ∆ Li+ 1−∆ Li
¿ L3−L1∨¿+ + ¿
γ H 2 O ¿ Li+1−Li ∨¿ ¿

Or: δ p=δ γ +δ L + δ L
H2O 3−1 (i+ 1)−i

Also we use δ γ =0.12% and ∆ L1=∆ L3=∆ Li+ 1=∆ Li=0.5 mm

H2O

EXPERIMENT REPORT:
The atmospheric pressure and the air temperature:
Pa = 760mmHg ; tᴼ = 35ᴼC
The water specific gravity:
YH2O = 9.749 x 103 N/m3

I. MEASUREMENTS

Table 1a: The measured results (Unit: cm)

No L1 L3 L4 L5 L6 L7 L8 L9 L10 NOTE

1 24.3 38.3 22.6 37.0 15.7 31.9 13.8 14.9 38.3

2 24.2 28.7 27.6 32.4 20.9 26.5 14.1 14.4 28.7

3 24.1 8.7 37.6 22.4 32.9 14.9 14.8 13.9 8.7

Table
1b: The measured results in tube 2

No L21 L22 L23 NOTE

1 41.1 39.4 38.8
2 32.1 29.9 29.3
3 11.8 9.7 9.1

II. CALCULATION AND PRESENTATION OF THE EXPERIMENT RESULTS

 1. In the hydrostatic experiment set, the water level in which tubes are equal? Why?
Ans: Tube 3 and 10 have the equal water level in the hydrostatic experiment. Because the
surface pressure of tube 10 and 3 are atmospheric pressure.
2. In the hydrostatic experiment set, the water level in which tubes does not follow the
hydrostatic rule? Why?
Ans: The water level in tube 2 does not follow the hydrostatic rule. Because tube 2 has small
value of diameter which is almost equal or less than 3mm.
Table 2: The calculated results

Pt Pd Gp Y4-5 Y6-7 Y8-9 Gy4-5 Gy6-7 Gy8-9

No
103N/m2 % 103N/m3 %
1 102.690 1.365 0.127 9.478 8.425 124.078 0.134 0.133 0.218
2 101.764 0.439 0.142 9.140 7.834 146.235 0.163 0.160 0.476
3 99.824 -1.501 0.126 9.877 8.341 166.816 0.133 0.132 0.238