Chapter 5

Static fluid
Fluids
• It is materials can be flow and cannot take a fixed shape, but take the shape of its
container (liquids and gases).
• Gases can be compressed (take the volume and shape its container).
• Liquids are incompressible (have a fixed volume and take the shape of its container.).
Density (): -

It is mass per unit volume at certain temperature.

• Some materials are heavy while others are light. [e. g. Gold and Platinum are
heavy metals; Mercury and Glycerin are heavy liquids]
• Rule
𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒔
𝝆= 𝒌𝒈/𝒎𝟑
𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆
Converting; Kg /m3 = 10-3 gm/cm3 or gm/cm3 = 103 Kg/m3
➢
Its dimension ML-3
Example (3.1):
Calculate the mass of a solid iron sphere that has a diameter of 3 cm if the density of iron is 7.8
g/cm3.
Solution:
3
4 3 3)
4 3 × 10−2
𝑀 = 𝜌𝑉 = 𝜌 ( 𝜋𝑟 ) = (7800𝑘𝑔/𝑚 ( 𝜋( 𝑚) ) = 0.011 𝑘𝑔
3 3 2

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Pressure

It is the average force acts normally on unit area surrounding that point.

𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒
• Rule 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 = (𝑁⁄𝑚2 )
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎

• Units of pressure: N/m2= Pascal) or (kg m-1 sec-2) or (J/m3)

Its dimension ML-1T-2

1
 Example (3.2):
A 50-kg woman balances on one heel of a pair of high heeled shoes. If the heel is circular and
has a radius of 0.5 cm, what pressure does she exert on the floor?
Solution:
𝐹 𝑚𝑔 (50 𝑘𝑔)(9.81𝑚/𝑠 2 )
𝑃= = = = 6.24 × 106 𝑁/𝑚2
𝐴 𝜋𝑟 2 𝜋(0.5 × 10−2 𝑚)2

Variation of Pressure with Depth

from figure, a slab of static fluid under different force;

∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0

∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0

(𝑃 + 𝑑𝑃) 𝐴 + 𝑑𝑤 = 𝑃 𝐴
(𝑃 + 𝑑𝑃) 𝐴 + 𝜌𝑔𝐴𝑑𝑦 = 𝑃 𝐴
𝑃 𝐴 + 𝑑𝑃 𝐴 + 𝜌𝑔𝐴𝑑𝑦 = 𝑃 𝐴
𝑑𝑃 𝐴 = −𝜌𝑔𝐴𝑑𝑦 (a)
𝑑𝑃
𝑑𝑃 = −𝜌𝑔𝑑𝑦 ⟹ = −𝜌𝑔
𝑑𝑦
This means that an increase of elevation is accompanied by a
decrease in pressure.

➢ The pressure at a point in a fluid

If P1 and P2 are the pressures at elevations y1 and y2 as shown in
figure 3.2b, then:
𝑑𝑃 = −𝜌𝑔𝑑𝑦
𝑃2 𝑦2 (b)
∫ 𝑑𝑃 = −𝜌𝑔 ∫ 𝑑𝑦 → 𝑃2 − 𝑃1
𝑃1 𝑦1
= −𝜌𝑔(𝑦2 − 𝑦1 )
Let P represent the pressure at point 1 and Pa represent the pressure at point 2, then
𝑷 = 𝑷𝒂 + 𝝆𝒈𝒉

Notes:
❖ Factor affecting the pressure at a point inside a liquid
(i) The depth of that point (h) (ii) The density of the liquid ()

❖ All points that lie on the same horizontal level inside a liquid have the same pressure.
❖ The value of atmospheric pressure =1.013x105 N/m2

2
Example (3.3):
(a) Calculate the absolute pressure at an ocean depth of 1000 m. Assume the density of seawater
is 1024 kg/m3 and that the air above exerts a pressure of 101.3 kPa. (b) At this depth, what force
must the frame around a circular submarine porthole having a diameter of 30 cm exert to
counterbalance the force exerted by the water?
Solution:
(𝒂) 𝑝 = 𝑝𝑎 + 𝜌𝑔ℎ = (101.3 × 103 𝑁/𝑚2 ) + (1024 𝑘𝑔/𝑚3 )(9.81 𝑚/𝑠 2 )(1000 𝑚)
= 1.01 × 107 𝑁/𝑚2
𝑃𝑔𝑎𝑢𝑔𝑒 = 𝑝 − 𝑝𝑎 = (1.01 × 107 𝑁/𝑚2 ) − (1 × 105 𝑁/𝑚2 ) = 1.00 × 107 𝑁/𝑚2
(𝒃) 𝐹 = 𝑃𝑔𝑎𝑢𝑔𝑒 𝐴 = 𝑃𝑔𝑎𝑢𝑔𝑒 (𝜋𝑟 2 ) = (1.00 × 107 𝑁/𝑚2 )(𝜋 (15 × 10−2 𝑚)2 )
= 7.07 × 105 𝑁
Pascal principle
"the pressure applied to an enclosed liquid is transmitted undiminished to
every part of the liquid and walls of the container"

➢ Pascal's Principle is not applied on gases (because the gases are

compressible, then a part of the applied pressure is consumed in
compressing the gas and the pressure is not transmitted in full).
Applications of Pascal's Principle
There are some of its application (e.g. hydraulic press– barber chairs –
dentist chairs – car lifts – jacks- hydraulic brakes)
Hydraulic press = (Jack)
Function: it is use to amplify force (gaining a larger force from a small one).
• Structure:
1- Small cylinder whose cross-section area is (a).
2- Large cylinder whose cross-section area is (A).
3- Each cylinder is provided with a piston.
4- The two cylinders are connected together with a tube
and filled with a liquid (Oil).
• Idea of work: Pascal's Principle
• When a force (f) is applied on the small piston, then The pressure applied by the
small piston (P = f /a) and this pressure is transmitted in full to the large piston.
• The pressure affecting on the large piston (P = F/A) 𝑷 = 𝒇⁄𝒂 =
𝑭⁄𝑨 ∴ 𝑭 = 𝒇(𝑨⁄𝒂)

3
Example (3.4):
In a car lift used in a service station, compressed air exerts a force on a small piston that has a
circular cross section and a radius of 5 cm. This pressure is transmitted by a liquid to a piston
that has a radius of 15 cm. What force must the compressed air exert to lift a car weighing 13300
N? What air pressure produces this force?
Solution:
𝐹1 𝐹2
=
𝐴1 𝐴2
𝐴1 𝜋(5 × 10−2 𝑚)2
𝐹1 = ( ) 𝐹2 = ( ) (13300 𝑁) = 1477.8 𝑁
𝐴2 𝜋(15 × 10−2 𝑚)2
𝐹1 (1477.8 𝑁)
𝑃= = = 0.0019 𝑁/𝑚2
𝐴1 𝜋 (5 × 10−2 𝑚)2

Pressure Gauges
1- Atmospheric pressure
"It is the weight of air column over unit area of earth surface at sea level."
Mercury Barometer:
Use: measures the atmospheric pressure.
Structure:
i) 1 m long glass tube filled completely with mercury (Hg).
ii) glass container full of Hg in which the glass tube is turned upside down.
iii)The level of Hg in glass tube fall down to a certain level (≈ 0.76 m
from the surface of Hg in the tank). A void is formed above the Hg column (Torricelli
vacuum).
Calculating the Atmospheric Pressure:
Taking two points (A & B) in one horizontal plane (A is outside the tube at the
surface of Hg in the tank, while B is inside the tube).
The pressure at point (B) = The pressure at point (A)
PB = P A But PA = Patm. (atmospheric pressure) and
PB =  mercury × g × h + [pressure of Torricelli vacuum = 0]
PB =  mercury × g × h
Pa= 13600 (kg/m3) × 9.8 (m/s2)× 0.76 (m) = 1.013 ×105 (N/m2)
❖ The atmospheric pressure is equivalent to the weight of a column of Hg whose height
is 0.76 m and cross section area 1 m2 at 0oC.

4
Notes:
1- The atmospheric pressure decreases with increasing height from sea level
(because the length of air column decreases).
2- When the free surface of the liquid is subjected to atmospheric pressure (Patm),
then the total pressure at a point inside a liquid.
P = Patm + ρ liq. g h
3- Units for measuring the atmospheric pressure:

Pascal = (N/m2). Pa = 1.013×105 Pascal = (N/m2)

cm Hg. Pa = 76 cm.Hg
mm Hg. Pa = 760 mm.Hg
Torr = mm Hg. Pa = 760 torr.
bar = 105 Pascal. Pa = 1.013 bar.

Example (3.5):
Blaise Pascal duplicated Torricelli’s barometer using a red Bordeaux wine, of density 984 kg/m3,
as the working liquid. What was the height h of the wine column for normal atmospheric
pressure? Would you expect the vacuum above the column to be as good as for mercury?
Solution:
𝑃 = 𝜌𝑔ℎ
𝑃 (1.013 × 105 𝑁/𝑚2 )
ℎ= = = 10.5 𝑚
𝜌𝑔 (984 𝑘𝑔/𝑚3 ) × (9.81 𝑚/𝑠 2 )
2- Balance of liquids in a U-shaped tube:
➢ When a liquid is put in a U-shaped tube, the level of
the liquid in the two branches is the same.
➢ When another liquid is added in one branch of the
tube (both liquids don’t mix).
The pressure at point (A) PA = Pa + ρ1 g h1
The pressure at point (B) PB = Pa + ρ2 g h2
➢ As point (A) and point (B) are in the same level in the same liquid.
PA = P B
Pa + ρ1 g h1 = Pa + ρ2 g h2
ρ1 h1 = ρ2 h2
➢ If the 1st liquid is water, then the ratio (ρ2 / ρ1) represents the relative density of the 2nd liquid.
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5
3- Manometer
Uses:
1- Measures the pressure of a gas enclosed in a reservoir.
2- Measures the difference between the pressure of an enclosed
gas and the atmospheric pressure.
Structure:
A U-shaped tube containing an amount of liquid of known density.
❖ One end of the tube is connected to a gas reservoir.
How to use it:
❖ When the manometer is not connected to the gas reservoir, the
level of the liquid in the two branches is the same.
❖ When one end of the manometer is connected to the gas
reservoir, then the level of the liquid may rise in one branch and go
down in the other.
❖ The pressure at point (B) = The pressure at point (A) [at the same level)].
When P > Pa
The level of the liquid in the free branch is higher than the branch connected to the
reservoir by (h).
P (gas pressure) = PA = PB
P = Pa + ρ g h
Δ P = P - Pa = ρ g h

Archimedes Principle
Related Observations:
1- An object can be easily lifted in water than air.
2- When a piece of foam is immersed in water, it is pushed upwards and floats on water surface.
3- An iron nail sinks in water while a large steel ship float.
4- Balloons filled with helium rise up.

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➢ Consider cubic solid of edge (h) immersed in a fluid of uniform density ρ as illustrated
in figure and the top and the bottom surfaces have area A.
➢ The force on the lower face of the block is 𝑭𝟐 = 𝑷𝟐 𝑨 and
the force on the upper face is 𝑭𝟏 = 𝑷𝟏 𝑨.
➢ The total force on the block due to the fluid called the
buoyant force FB.
𝑭𝑩 = (𝑷𝟐 − 𝑷𝟏 )𝑨
➢ Since, 𝑷𝟐 − 𝑷𝟏 = 𝝆𝒈𝒉, the magnitude of the buoyant force
can be written
𝑭𝑩 = 𝝆𝒍𝒊𝒒. 𝒈𝒉𝑨 = 𝝆𝒍𝒊𝒒. × 𝒈 × 𝑽𝒔𝒖𝒃𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒅
Archimedes' Principle statement:
A body partially or fully immersed in a fluid (liquid & gas) is pushed upwards
by a force equal to the weight of the displaced fluid by the body."

Fb = W displaced water= m displaced × g = liquid × V displaced. × g

There are three possible cases as illustrated in figure;

(i) ρ body < ρ fluid: Floating body
(ii) ρ body = ρ fluid: Neutrally buoyant
(iii) ρ body > ρ fluid: Sinking Body

When the body float on the liquid surface.

The weight of the body equal to the buoyant force on the immersed part the weight of
the displaced liquid by the immersed part.

 W = FB
 bodyVg =  LiquidVimmersed g
 bodyV =  LiquidV1

7
Example (3.6):
A Ping-Pong ball has a diameter of 3.80 cm and average density of 0.084 g/cm3. What force is
required to hold it completely submerged under water?
Solution:

∑𝐹 = 0

𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 + 𝑚𝑔 = 𝐹𝐵
4
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝐹𝐵 − 𝑚𝑔 = 𝜌𝑤 𝑉 𝑔 − 𝜌𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑉 𝑔 = 𝑉𝑔(𝜌𝑤 − 𝜌𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑙 ) = ( 𝜋 𝑟 3 ) (𝑔)(𝜌𝑤 − 𝜌𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑙 )
3
4
= ( 𝜋 (1.9 × 10−2 𝑚)3 ) (9.81 𝑚/𝑠 2 )(1000 𝑘𝑔/𝑚3 − 84 𝑘𝑔/𝑚3 ) = 0.258 𝑁
3

Forces Against a Dam

➢ Suppose water stands at a depth H behind the

vertical upstream face of a dam as illustrated in
figure.
➢ Water exerts a certain resultant horizontal
force on the dam, leading to slide it along its
foundation, and exerts a certain torque, to
overturn in front of the dam about the point O. we wish to find the total horizontal
force. The width of the dam is L.
➢ The pressure at a certain elevation is
𝒑 = 𝝆 𝒈 (𝑯 − 𝒚)

(i) The force dF against the shaded strip is

𝒅𝑭 = 𝑷𝒅𝑨 = 𝝆𝒈 (𝑯 − 𝒚)𝑳 𝒅𝒚
𝑯 𝑯
𝒚𝟐 𝑯𝟐 𝟏
∴ 𝑭 = ∫ 𝒅𝑭 = ∫ 𝝆𝒈𝑳 (𝑯 − 𝒚)𝒅𝒚 = 𝝆𝒈𝑳 [𝑯𝒚 − ] = 𝝆𝒈𝑳 (𝑯𝟐 − ) = 𝝆𝒈𝑳𝑯𝟐
𝟎 𝟐 𝟎 𝟐 𝟐

(ii) The moment 𝐝Г of the force dF about an axis through O is

𝒅Г = 𝝆𝒈𝑳𝒚 (𝑯 − 𝒚)𝒅𝒚

The total torque about O is

𝑯 𝑯 𝑯
Г = ∫ 𝒅Г = ∫ 𝝆𝒈𝑳𝒚 (𝑯 − 𝒚) 𝒅𝒚 = ∫ 𝝆𝒈𝑳𝒚𝑯 𝒅𝒚 − ∫ 𝝆𝒈𝑳𝒚𝟐 𝒅𝒚
𝟎 𝟎 𝟎

8
 𝑯 𝑯
𝒚𝟐 𝒚𝟑 𝑯𝟑 𝑯𝟑 𝟏
= 𝝆𝒈𝑳𝑯 [ ] − 𝝆𝒈𝑳 [ ] = 𝝆𝒈𝑳 − 𝝆𝒈𝑳 = 𝒑𝒈𝑳𝑯𝟑
𝟐 𝟎 𝟑 𝟎 𝟐 𝟑 𝟔

Г=𝑭Ĥ
𝟏 𝟏
𝝆𝒈𝑳 𝑯𝟑 = 𝝆𝒈𝑳𝑯𝟐 × Ĥ
𝟔 𝟐
𝟏
Ĥ= 𝑯
𝟑
where, Ĥ is the height above O at which the total force F would have to act to produce this
torque

Problems
1. A woman's systolic blood pressure when resting is 160 mmHg. What is this pressure in
(a) Pa, (b) atm and (c) torr?

2. (a) Find the total weight of water on top of nuclear submarine at a depth of 200 m.
assuming that its (horizontal cross-section) hull area is 3000 m2. (b) What water pressure
would a diver experience at this depth? Assume the density of the sea water is 1.03 g/cm3.

Answer
(a) Weight force = mg = ρvg = ρAhg

W = (1030 kg/m3) (3000 m2) (200 m) (9.8 m/s2)

W = 6.0564×109 N.

(b) Pressure of water at this depth equal pressure on top of submarine.

𝑭 𝟔. 𝟎𝟓𝟔𝟒 × 𝟏𝟎𝟗
𝑷= = = 𝟐. 𝟎𝟐 × 𝟏𝟎𝟔 𝑵⁄𝒎𝟐
𝑨 𝟑𝟎𝟎𝟎

3. The small piston of a hydraulic lift has a cross-sectional area of 3 cm2, and its large piston
has a cross-sectional area of 200 cm2. What force must be applied to the small piston for
the lift to raise a load of 15 kN?

Answer

𝑓 𝐹 𝐹 3 × 15 × 103
= ∴𝑓=𝑎× = = 225 𝑁
𝑎 𝐴 𝐴 200

9
4. Mercury is poured into a U-tube. The left arm of the
tube has cross-sectional area A1 of 10 cm2, and the right
arm has a cross-sectional area A2 of 5 cm2. One hundred
grams of water are then poured into the right arm as in
the following Figure. (a) Determine the length of the
water column in the right arm of the U-tube. (b) Given
that the density of mercury is 13.6 g/cm3, what distance
h does the mercury rise in the left arm?

Answer

𝑚 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 100 𝑔
ℎ𝑤 = = = 20.0 𝑐𝑚
𝐴2 × 𝜌𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 5.00 𝑐𝑚2 (1.00 𝑔/𝑐𝑚3 )
𝐴1
𝐴2 ℎ2 = 𝐴1 ℎ ∴ ℎ2 = ℎ
𝐴2

∴ 𝑃𝑅 = 𝑃𝑜 + 𝜌𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑔ℎ𝑤 𝑎𝑛𝑑

𝑃𝐿 = 𝑃𝑜 + 𝜌𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑦 𝑔(ℎ + ℎ2 )

∵ 𝑃𝑅 = 𝑃𝐿 ∴ 𝑃𝑜 + 𝜌𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑔ℎ𝑤 = 𝑃𝑜 + 𝜌𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑦 𝑔(ℎ + ℎ2 )

𝐴1
∴ 𝜌𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑔ℎ𝑤 = 𝜌𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑦 𝑔(ℎ + ℎ2 ) = 𝜌𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑦 𝑔 (ℎ + ℎ)
𝐴2

𝐴1 𝜌𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 ℎ𝑤
∴ 𝜌𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 ℎ𝑤 = 𝜌𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑦 ℎ (1 + ) ∴ℎ=
𝐴2 𝐴1
𝜌𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑦 (1 +
𝐴2 )

𝑔
3 ) (20.0 𝑐𝑚)
(1.00
𝑐𝑚
∴ℎ= = 0.49 𝑐𝑚
𝑔 10.0
(1.00 3 ) (1 + )
𝑐𝑚 5.0
5. A piece of aluminum with mass 1 kg and density 2700 kg/m3 is suspended from a string and
then completely immersed in a container of water. Calculate the tension in the string (a)
before and (b) after the metal is immersed.
Answer
𝑎) ∵ 𝑇 = 𝑚𝑔 ∴ 𝑇 = 1 × 9.8 = 9.8 𝑁
1
𝑏) ∵ 𝑇 − 𝐹𝑏 = 𝑚𝑔 ∴ 𝑇 = 𝑚𝑔 − 𝐹𝑏 = 1 × 9.8 − 1000 × 9.8 × = 6.17 𝑁
2700

10
6. About one third of the body of a physicist swimming in the Dead Sea will be above the
water line. Assuming that the human body density is 0.98 g/cm3. Find the density of the
water in the Dead Sea.

Answer
Vsub. = 2V/3, and ρ body = 980 kg/m3,
2
𝜌𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑉𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑔 = 𝜌𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠𝑒𝑎 × 𝑉𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 × 𝑔
3
3 3
𝜌𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠𝑒𝑎 = × 𝜌𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 = × 980 𝑘𝑔⁄𝑚3
2 2

𝜌𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠𝑒𝑎 = 1470 𝑘𝑔⁄𝑚3

7. A block of wood floats in water with two thirds of its volume submerged. In oil the block
floats with 0.9 of its volume submerged. Find the density of (a) the wood and (b) the oil.
Answer

(a)
2
𝜌𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑉𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑔 = 𝜌𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 × 𝑉𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑 × 𝑔
3
2 2
𝜌𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑 = × 𝜌𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 = × 1000 = 666.6 𝑘𝑔⁄𝑚3
3 3
(b)
𝜌𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑 666.6 𝑘𝑔⁄𝑚3
𝜌𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑉𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑔 = 𝜌𝑜𝑖𝑙 × 0.9𝑉𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑 × 𝑔 ∴ 𝜌𝑜𝑖𝑙 = =
0.9 0.9

𝜌𝑜𝑖𝑙 = 740.6 𝑘𝑔⁄𝑚3

11