Fluids and Pressure

Chapter 6

 Fluids
Either gas or liquid

Pressure equals force per unit area.

Force
Pressure =
Area

 Pressure
Force applied per unit area
Pa = N

m2

Mercury Barometer
The full tube of
mercury is
inverted and
placed in a dish of
mercury.

The barometer is
used to measure
atmospheric
pressure.

 Example 6.1 page 138

Calculate the pressure exerted by a
phonograph needle on a record if the
needle supports 2.0 g on a circular area
0.25 mm in radius. Express this pressure
in Newtons per square meter and in
atmosphere.

Given:
m = 2.0 g = 2.0 x 10-3kg
r = 0.25 mm = 2.5 x 10-4 m
A of circle = r2
P = F = mg
A
r2

P = (2.0 x 10-3 kg)(9.8 m/sec2)

3.14 x (2.5 x 10-4 m)2

P = 9.98 x 104 N/m2 = 9.98 x 104 Pa

 P = 9.98 x 104 Pa x 1 atm

1.01 x 105 Pa
P = 0.988 atm

Figure 6.1 and 6.2

Same amount of force:

-small area;big pressure
- big area; small pressure

Pressure at bottom of container: 490 Pa

Column of air 1m2 weighs 1.01 x 105N

 Example 6.2 page 139

Calculate the force exerted by the
atmosphere on one side of a wall of area
10 m2(average room wall in a house)?

Given:
P = 1atm
A = 10 m2
F = ?

P = 1 atm x 1.01 x 105 Pa =

1 atm
P = 1.01 x 105 Pa = 1.01 x 105 N/m2

 P = F/A
F = PA
F = (1.01 x 105 N/m2)(10 m2)
F = 1.01 x 106 N
Figure 6.3

Dependence of Pressure in a
Gas

BOYLES LAW
At constant temperature (T), the volume
(V) of a fixed mass of gas is inversely
proportional to the Pressure (P).

1
V
P
P1V1 = P2 V2

Graph of pressure versus volume. This shows the

inverse PV relationship of an ideal gas.

The effect of pressure on the volume of a gas.

 Blaise Pascal
French philosopher and scientist
One of the pioneer in the physics of fluids
Pascals Principle:
Any pressure applied to a confined fluid will
be transmitted undiminished to all parts of the
fluid.
Ex. Total pressure at the bottom of lake

 Ptotal = Pgauge + P atm

Gauge Pressure
Pressure above or below atmospheric
pressure
Forces are transmitted by fluids; can be made
smaller or bigger depending on the
circumstances.

Hydraulic Systems
Fig. 6.5 page 141

P1 = P2
F1 = F2
A1
A2
Any pressure applied to a confined fluid will be
transmitted undiminished to all parts of the fluid.

 Example 6.3 page 142

The large piston in Figure 6.5 supports a
dentists chair, and the dentist wants to lift
the patient by stepping on a pedal directly
on top of the small piston. Calculate the
force the dentist must exert if the patient
plus chair have a mass of 120 kg and the
small piston has a diameter of 1.0 cm,
while the large piston has a diameter of
5.0 cm

Given:
m = 120 kg
d1 = 1.0 cm r1 = 0.5 cm
d2 = 5.0 cm r2 = 2.5 cm
F1 = ?
F1 = F2 F1 = F2 A1 F1 = mg 1r12
A1
A2
A2
2r 22
F1 = (120 kg)(9.8 m/sec2)(0.5cm)2
(2.5cm)2
F1 = 47.04 N
F1 = 47 N

Pressure Due to the Weight of a

Fluid

Figure 6.7
P = F/A = mg/A
P = Vg / A
P = hAg / A
P = hg

m = V
V = hA

Pressure at that depth is

due to the weight of the
column of fluid above the area

 Figure 6.8 page 144

 Example 6.4 page 145

A) Calculate the pressure in newtons per
square meter at a depth of 2.5 m due to
water in a swimming pool. B) What is the
total pressure at that depth?

Given:
h = 2.5 m
= 1 x 103 kg/m3
A)P = Pa?
B) P total = ?
P = hg
P = (2.5 m)(1 x 103 kg/m3 )(9.8 m/sec2)
P = 2.45 x 104 kg.m/sec2
m2
P = 2.45 x 104 N/m2 = 2.45 x 104 Pa

 B) P total = P + Patm
P total = 2.45 x 104 Pa + 1.01 x 105 Pa
P total = 1.26 x 105 Pa

 Figure 6.9 page 145

The pressure due to IV fluid at the entrance of the needle is proportional to

The height of the surface above the needle.

 Exercise 6.9 page 176

A) Calculate the pressure in Newtons per
square meter due to whole blood in an IV
system (Fig. 6.9) if h= 1.5 m.
B) Noting that there is an open tube, so
that atmospheric pressure is exerted on
the blood in the bottle, calculate the total
blood pressure exerted at the needle by
the blood?

 Given:
h = 1.5 m
= 1.05 x 103 kg/m3 (whole blood)
-table 5.2 page 105

A) P = N/m2
B) Ptotal = ?
A) P = hg
P = (1.5 m)(1.05 x 103 kg/m3)(9.8 m/sec2)
P = 15435 N/m2 = 1.5 x 104 N/m2

B) P total = ?
P total = P + Patm
Ptotal = 1.5 x 104 N/m2 + 1.01 x 105 N/m2
P total = 1.16 x 105 N/m2

 Seat work: Similar to Exercise 6.9

page 176
A) Calculate the pressure in Newtons per
square meter due to whole blood in an IV
system (Fig. 6.9) if h= 1.9 m.
B) Noting that there is an open tube, so
that atmospheric pressure is exerted on
the blood in the bottle, calculate the total
blood pressure exerted at the needle by
the blood?

 Figure 6.10 page 146

Atmospheric pressure can push the fluid
up to a level h ; related to the pressure in
the bulb

Measurement of Pressure Based

on Pascals Principle and P = hg
Systolic Pressure
Maximum blood pressure

Diastolic Pressure
Minimum blood pressure
Figure 6.12 page 147

Pressure Measuring Devices

Manometer
U-shaped tubes filled with liquid

Barometer
Measures atmospheric pressures in a manner
analogous to manometer

Bouyant Force and Archimedes

Principle
Archimedes Principle:
Any object placed in a fluid will experience
an upward or bouyant force equal to the
weight of the fluid it displaces.
Pressure increases with depth; upward force on
the bottom of the object is larger than the
downward force on top of the object.

Figure 6.19 page 152

Bouyant force
Upward force of the water on the body
Net upward force equal to the weight of the fluid

BF = wfl

Floating Objects
BF = wobj
Wfl = wobj

 Example 6.6 page 151

Cork has a density of 0.25 g/cm3.
Calculate the fraction of a corks volume
that is submerged when it floats in water.

Given:
= 0.25 g/cm3 (cork)
c = mc x vfl
fl
mfl
vc
mc = 1
mfl
c = vfl (fraction submerged)
fl
vc
volume submerged =volume of fluids displaced
c = 0.24 g/cm3 = 0.24
fl
1.0 g/cm3
The fraction of the object that is submerged is equal
to the ratio of the density of the object to the density
of the fluid.

 Exercise 6.19 page 177

What is the density of a piece of wood that
floats in water with 70% of its volume
submerged?
w = 0.70
fl
w = fl(.70)
w = 1.0 g/cm3 (0.70) = 0.70 g/cm3

 Hydrometer
measures the density of liquid

Flow:Poiseuilles Law, Laminar flow

and Turbulent flow
Flow Rate:
F = V/t
Figure 6.25 page 156
F = (P1 P2)/R
R= resistance to flow; caused by friction
between fluid and tube and friction within the
fluid itself
R = if fluid is incompressible and has laminar
flow

 Laminar Flow
Smooth and quiet

Turbulent Flow
Has eddies, swirls and ripples
Resistance is greater than laminar flow

 J.L. Poiseuille
French scientist
Interested in physics of blood circulation

Poiseuilles Law
Expression for resistance to laminar flow of an
incompressible fluid
R = 8L
= viscosity L = length of
r4
tube

 Example 6.10 page 159

The flow rate of a IV set up(Fig 6.9) is
observed to be 2.0 cm3/min for a glucose
solution of density 1.05 g/cm3. the surface
of the solution is a height h = 1.0 meters
above the entrance of the needle. If the
height is increased to 1.5 m, what is the
new flow rate? Note that the blood
pressure remains at 8.0 mm Hg

 Given:
F = 2.0 cm3/min
= 1.05 g/cm3 (glucose)
h1 = 1.0 m
h2 = 1.5 m

Bernoulli Effect and Entrainment

Daniel Bernoulli
Swiss Scientist

Bernoullis Principle:
Where the speed of a fluid is high, the
pressure is low; and where the speed of a
fluid is low, the pressure is high.

Bernoulli Effect and Entrainment

Entrainment
Happens when one fluid is pulled into the flow
of another
Examples:
Bunsen burner
Perfume
Lift created by a wing

 Venturi
Tube with constriction designed to increase
the Bernoulli effect

Cohesion and Adhesion

Cohesive Forces
Attractive force between molecules of the
same type

Adhesive Forces
Attractive forces between dissimilar molecules

Surface Tension

 Surface Tension
Resistance of a liquid to increase its surface
area

 Surface Tension
the result of the molecules at the surface of
a liquid being pulled inward by molecules
that lie below the surface layer.

This pulls the surface of a liquid into a

sphere.
Substances with large attractions between
molecules have high surface tensions.

 Pressure inside the bubble is directly

proportional to surface tension

Health Conditions Related to

Surface Tension
Respiratory System
Normal breathing
Alveoli increases surface area for gas exchange
Pressure inside the alveoli created by surface
tension is responsible for exhalation

Health Conditions Related to

Surface Tension
Respiratory System
Emphysema
Fewer and larger alveoli
Large alveoli=less pressure; airflow is less during
exhalation

Respiratory distress syndrome

Too large surface tension in the alveoli
Surfactant is needed(DPPC)

Capillary Action
Capillary action is the spontaneous
rising of a liquid in a narrow tube.

 Capillary Action
results from the cohesive forces within
the liquid and the adhesive forces
between the liquid and the walls.
Adhesive force is greater than cohesive
force

 Capillary Action
results from cohesive forces within the
liquid and the adhesive forces between
the liquid and the walls.

If the adhesive forces between the

liquid and the walls of its container
exceed the cohesive forces between the
molecules of the liquid, the liquid will
climb the walls of the container.

Meniscus
When a liquid is placed in a glass cylinder,
the surface of the liquid shows a curve
called the meniscus.

meniscus

concave
shape

concave shape occurs because

adhesive forces between water
glass > cohesive forces between
water molecules

Assignment/Seatwork

Page 176
6.2
6.4
6.6