1. What is the Fluid Pressure Equation?

The fluid pressure equation (P = ρgh) calculates the pressure exerted by a fluid column due to gravity. It's fundamental in fluid mechanics and hydrostatics, used to determine pressure at different depths in liquids.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the fluid pressure equation:

Where:

• \( P \) — Pressure in Pascals (Pa)
• \( \rho \) — Fluid density (kg/m³)
• \( g \) — Acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s² on Earth)
• \( h \) — Height/depth of fluid column (m)

Explanation: The equation shows that pressure increases linearly with depth and depends on the fluid's density and local gravity.

3. Importance of Pressure Calculation

Details: Accurate pressure calculation is crucial for designing hydraulic systems, understanding blood pressure in medicine, calculating water pressure in plumbing, and in many engineering applications.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter density in kg/m³ (water = 1000 kg/m³), height in meters, and gravity in m/s² (9.81 m/s² on Earth). All values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What are typical units for fluid pressure?
A: Pascals (Pa) in SI units, but often converted to kPa, bar, atm, mmHg (torr), or psi depending on application.

Q2: Does this work for gases?
A: Only for cases where gas density is constant (uncompressed). For atmospheric pressure, more complex equations are needed.

Q3: How does pressure change with depth?
A: Pressure increases linearly with depth in an incompressible fluid (like water) according to P = ρgh.

Q4: What's the pressure at 10m underwater?
A: For water (ρ=1000 kg/m³), P = 1000 × 9.81 × 10 = 98,100 Pa or 98.1 kPa (about 0.97 atm above atmospheric pressure).

Q5: Why is gravity important in the equation?
A: The weight of the fluid column (which depends on gravity) determines the pressure. On planets with different gravity, the same fluid height would produce different pressures.