Sub Unit 1.

2 – Fluid Force

Pressure in Fluid Systems

 Describe the four states of matter.
 Define density and pressure Objectives
 Explain why pressure in a fluid depends on depth
in the fluid
 Explain why an object submerged in a fluid
experiences a buoyant force
 Predict whether an object will sink or float in a
given fluid.
 Explain how a force can be multiplied in a
hydraulic lift.
 Explain where atmospheric pressure comes from.
 Describe how a barometer measures atmospheric
pressure
 Explain the difference between absolute and gage
pressure.
 States of Matter
 Matter can exist in four states:
– Solid (ice)
– Liquid (water)
– Gas (steam vapor)
– Plasma (Extremely hot ionized atoms)
 Fluids
 Fluids are materials that can flow, has no
definite shape of its own, and conforms to
the shape of its container.
 Liquids
 Gasses
 Fluid systems use both liquids (hydraulic)
and gasses (pneumatic) to operate
mechanical devices.
City Water System

Hydraulic system under pressure

 Density and Pressure
 Density is how much mass is contained in a
given amount of space.
 Amount of matter per unit of volume.

(rho)
 Units

 English  SI
 Example

 The mass
of 1 cm3 of
water has a
mass of
1g;
therefore
the density
is 1g/1cm3.
 Weight Density
 Weight Density is the comparison
of an object’s weight to it’s volume

Units
 Weight Density of Water
 Water has a weight density of
62.4 lb/ft3.
 Pressure
 A force applied over a surface is pressure.

Units

English SI
 Pressure Units
 N/m2 = 1 Pascal (Pa)
 1000 Pa = 1kilopascal (kPa)
 lb/in2 = psi (pounds per square inch)
 Pressure and Depth
 Pressure increase with depth because of the
additional weight of the fluid above.

w
Buoyancy and Archimedes’
Principle

 Ptop = w x h
 Pbottom = w x (h + d)
 F=PxA
– Ftop = Ptop x A = (w x h) x A
– Fbottom = Pbottom x A = [w x (h+d)] x A
 Fbuoyant = Fbottom – Ftop = w Ad
 Ad = Vbrick
 Fbuoyant = w x Vbrick = weight of water displaced
 Archimedes’ Principle
 An object immersed in a fluid has an
upward force exerted on it equal to the
weight of the fluid displaced by the object.
 Note: the buoyant force is based on the
weight of the fluid displaced not on the
weight of the object.
 Pascal’s Principle
 A change in pressure at any point in a
confined fluid is transmitted undiminished
throughout the fluid.
 P = F / A or
F=PxA
 A = r2
 Atmospheric Pressure
 The weight of the air above an area.
 At sea level, a column of air extending up
through the atmosphere, with a cross sectional
area of 1m2, encloses about 10,000 kg of air.
 This air weighs about 1 x 105 N
 Therefore, atmospheric pressure is about 105
Pa or 100kPa at sea level.
 Decreases with altitude
 This is why your ears pop (equalization)
 Atmospheric Pressure
 Barometer – instrument used for measuring
atmospheric pressure.
 At sea level the average atmospheric
pressure is 101.3 kPa = 760mm of mercury
= one atmosphere = 14.7 psi = 2117 lb/ft2
 Absolute and Gage Pressure
 Absolute pressure is the total pressure measured
above zero (perfect vacuum).
 Gage pressure is the pressure measured above
atmospheric pressure.
 Absolute pressure = gage pressure + atmospheric pressure
 Suppose a tire gage measures the pressure of a tire
to be 30 psi;
 Absolute pressure = 30 psi + 14.7 psi = 44.7 psi
 The air inside the tire pushes out with a pressure of
44.7 psi. The atmosphere pushes in with a pressure
of 14.7 psi. The difference is 30 psi – the gage
pressure.
 Pressure is a Prime Mover
 Pressure acts like a force to cause
movement.
Equilibrium
 Summary
 Matter can exist in four states: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.
 Liquids and gases are called fluids.
 The density of a substance is its mass per unit volume.
 The density of water is 1g/cm3.
 Weight density is weight per unit volume.
 Pressure is force divided by the area over which the force acts.
 We treat pressure as a scalar.
 In SI units, pressure is measured in pascals, where 1 Pa= 1 N/m
 Pressure increases with depth in a fluid.
 Summary
 For a given fluid, the pressure does not depend on the size or
shape of the container.
 When an object is submerged in a fluid, an upward force is
exerted on the object caused by the pressure difference
between the top and the bottom of the object. This force is
called a buoyant force.
 The buoyant force exerted on a submerged object equals the
weight of the fluid displaced by the object.
 A pressure applied to a confined fluid is transmitted
throughout the fluid.
 Atmospheric pressure is caused by the weight of the air above
a given area.
 Atmospheric pressure can be measured with a barometer.
 Absolute pressure is the sum of the gage pressure and
atmospheric pressure.