Chapter 2  Pressure Distribution

in a Fluid

2.3 A vertical clean glass piezometer tube has an inside diameter of 1 mm. When a
pressure is applied, water at 20C rises into the tube to a height of 25 cm. After correcting
for surface tension, estimate the applied pressure in Pa.

Solution: For water, let Y  0.073 N/m, contact angle   0, and   9790 N/m3. The
capillary rise in the tube, from Example 1.9 of the text, is

2Y cos 2(0.073 N /m) cos(0)

hcap    0.030 m
R (9790 N /m3 )(0.0005 m)
Then the rise due to applied pressure is less by that amount: hpress  0.25 m  0.03 m  0.22 m.
The applied pressure is estimated to be p  hpress  (9790 N/m3)(0.22 m)  2160 Pa Ans.

2.6 Express standard atmospheric pressure as a head, h  p/ g, in (a) feet of glycerin;
(b) inches of mercury; (c) meters of water; and (d) mm of ethanol.

Solution: Take the specific weights,    g, from Table A.3, divide patm by  :

(a) Glycerin: h  (2116 lbf/ft2)/(78.7 lbf/ft3)  26.9 ft Ans. (a)

(b) Mercury: h  (2116 lbf/ft2)/(846 lbf/ft3)  2.50 ft  30.0 inches Ans. (b)

(c) Water: h  (101350 N/m2)/(9790 N/m3)  10.35 m Ans. (c)

(d) Ethanol: h  (101350 N/m2)/(7740 N/m3)  13.1 m  13100 mm Ans. (d)
72 Solutions Manual  Fluid Mechanics, Seventh Edition

2.11 In Fig. P2.11, sensor A reads 1.5 kPa

(gage). All fluids are at 20C. Determine
the elevations Z in meters of the liquid
levels in the open piezometer tubes B
and C.

Solution: (B) Let piezometer tube B be

an arbitrary distance H above the gasoline-
glycerin interface. The specific weights are
air  12.0 N/m3, gasoline  6670 N/m3, and
glycerin  12360 N/m3. Then apply the Fig. P2.11
hydrostatic formula from point A to point B:

1500 N/m 2  (12.0 N/m 3 )(2.0 m)  6670(1.5  H)  6670(Z B  H  1.0)  p B  0 (gage)

Solve for ZB  2.73 m (23 cm above the gasoline-air interface) Ans. (b)

Solution (C): Let piezometer tube C be an arbitrary distance Y above the bottom. Then

1500  12.0(2.0)  6670(1.5)  12360(1.0  Y)  12360(ZC  Y)  pC  0 (gage)

Solve for ZC  1.93 m (93 cm above the gasoline-glycerin interface) Ans. (c)

2.13 In Fig. P2.13 the 20C water and gasoline are open to the atmosphere and are at
the same elevation. What is the height h in the third liquid?

Solution: Take water  9790 N/m3 and gasoline  6670 N/m3. The bottom pressure
must be the same whether we move down through the water or through the gasoline into
the third fluid:

Fig. P2.13

p bottom  (9790 N/m 3 )(1.5 m)  1.60(9790)(1.0)  1.60(9790)h  6670(2.5  h)

Solve for h  1.52 m Ans.
 Chapter 2  Pressure Distribution in a Fluid 73

2.19 The U-tube at right has a 1-cm ID

and contains mercury as shown. If 20 cm3
of water is poured into the right-hand leg,
what will be the free surface height in each
leg after the sloshing has died down?

Solution: First figure the height of water

added:

20 cm 3  (1 cm)2 h, or h  25.46 cm
4
Then, at equilibrium, the new system must
have 25.46 cm of water on the right, and a
30-cm length of mercury is somewhat
displaced so that “L” is on the right, 0.1 m
on the bottom, and “0.2  L” on the left
side, as shown at right. The bottom
pressure is constant:
patm  133100(0.2  L)  patm  9790(0.2546)  133100(L), or: L  0.0906 m

Thus right-leg-height  9.06  25.46 

34.52 cm Ans.
left-leg-height  20.0  9.06  10.94
cm Ans.
74 Solutions Manual  Fluid Mechanics, Seventh Edition

2.20 The hydraulic jack in Fig. P2.20 is

filled with oil at 56 lbf/ft3. Neglecting
piston weights, what force F on the
handle is required to support the 2000-lbf
weight shown?
Fig. P2.20
Solution: First sum moments clockwise about the hinge A of the handle:

 M A  0  F(15  1)  P(1),
or: F  P/16, where P is the force in the small (1 in) piston.
Meanwhile figure the pressure in the oil from the weight on the large piston:

W 2000 lbf
poil    40744 psf,
A3-in ( /4)(3/12 ft)2
 1
2
Hence P  poil Asmall  (40744)    222 lbf
4  12 
Therefore the handle force required is F  P/16  222/16  14 lbf Ans.
 Chapter 2  Pressure Distribution in a Fluid 75

2.37 The inclined manometer in Fig. P2.37

contains Meriam red oil, SG  0.827.
Assume the reservoir is very large. If the
inclined arm has graduations 1 inch apart,
what should  be if each graduation repre-
sents 1 psf of the pressure pA? Fig. P2.37
Solution: The specific weight of the oil is (0.827)(62.4)  51.6 lbf/ft3. If the reservoir
level does not change and L  1 inch is the scale marking, then
lbf  lbf   1 
p A (gage)  1 2   oil z   oil L sin    51.6 3   ft  sin  ,
ft  ft   12 
or: sin   0.2325 or:   13.45 Ans.

2.42 Small pressure differences can be measured by the two-fluid manometer in Fig.
P2.42, where 2 is only slightly larger than 1. Derive a formula for pA  pB if the
reservoirs are very large.

Solution: Apply the hydrostatic formula from A to B:

Fig. P2.42

p A  1gh1  2 gh  1g(h1  h)  p B
Solve for p A  pB   2  1  gh Ans.

If (2  1) is very small, h will be very large for a given p (a sensitive manometer).
76 Solutions Manual  Fluid Mechanics, Fifth Edition

2.44 Water flows downward in a pipe at 45, as shown in Fig. P2.44. The mercury
manometer reads a 6-in height. The pressure drop p2  p1 is partly due to friction and partly
due to gravity. Determine the total pressure drop and also the part due to friction only.
Which part does the manometer read? Why?

Fig. P2.44

Solution: Let “h” be the distance down from point 2 to the mercury-water interface in
the right leg. Write the hydrostatic formula from 1 to 2:

 6  6
p1  62.4  5sin 45  h    846    62.4h  p2 ,
 12   12 
p1  p2  (846  62.4)(6/12)  62.4(5sin 45)  392  221
.... friction loss... ..gravity head ..
lbf
 171 Ans.
ft 2
The manometer reads only the friction loss of 392 lbfft2, not the gravity head of
221 psf.
 Chapter 2  Pressure Distribution in a Fluid 77

2.47 The cylindrical tank in Fig. P2.47

is being filled with 20C water by a pump
developing an exit pressure of 175 kPa.
At the instant shown, the air pressure is
110 kPa and H  35 cm. The pump stops
when it can no longer raise the water
pressure. Estimate “H” at that time.
Fig. P2.47

Solution: At the end of pumping, the bottom water pressure must be 175 kPa:
pair  9790H  175000
Meanwhile, assuming isothermal air compression, the final air pressure is such that
pair Volold  R 2(0.75 m) 0.75
  
110000 Vol new  R (1.1 m  H) 1.1  H
2

where R is the tank radius. Combining these two gives a quadratic equation for H:
0.75(110000)
 9790H  175000, or H 2  18.98H  11.24  0
1.1  H
The two roots are H  18.37 m (ridiculous) or, properly, H  0.612 m Ans.
78 Solutions Manual  Fluid Mechanics, Fifth Edition

2.49 Conduct an experiment: Place a thin wooden ruler on a table with a 40% overhang,
as shown. Cover it with 2 full-size sheets of newspaper. (a) Estimate the total force on top
of the newspaper due to air pressure. (b) With everyone out of the way, perform
a karate chop on the outer end of the ruler. (c) Explain the results in b.

Results: (a) Newsprint is about 27 in (0.686 m) by 22.5 in (0.572 m). Thus the force is:
F  pA  (101325 Pa )(0.686 m )(0.572 m)
 39700 N! Ans.

Fig. P2.48
(b) The newspaper will hold the ruler, which will probably break due to the chop. Ans.
(c) Chop is fast, air does not have time to rush in, partial vacuum under newspaper. Ans.
 Chapter 2  Pressure Distribution in a Fluid 79

2.56 For the gate of Prob. 2.55 above, stop “B” breaks if the force on it equals 9200 lbf.
For what water depth h is this condition reached?

Solution: The formulas must be written in terms of the unknown centroidal depth hCG:
h CG  h  2 F   h CG A  (62.4)h CG (20)  1248h CG
I XX sin  (1/12)(5)(4)3sin 90 1.333
y CP    
h CG A h CG (20) h CG
Then moments about A for the freebody in Prob. 2.155 above will yield the answer:
 1.333 
 M A  0  9200(4)  (1248h CG )  2  , or h CG  14.08 ft, h  16.08 ft Ans.
 h CG 

2.58 In Fig. P2.58, weightless cover gate AB closes a circular opening 80 cm in diameter
when weighed down by the 200-kg mass shown. What water level h will dislodge the gate?

Solution: The centroidal depth is exactly

Fig. P2.58
equal to h and force F will be upward on the gate. Dislodging occurs when F equals the
weight:


F   h CG A gate  (9790 N/m 3 ) h (0.8 m)2  W  (200)(9.81) N
4
Solve for h  0.40 m Ans.
Chapter 2  Pressure Distribution in a Fluid 81
2.73 Weightless gate AB is 5 ft wide into
the paper and opens to let fresh water out Fig. P2.73
when the ocean tide is falling. The hinge at
A is 2 ft above the freshwater level. Find h
when the gate opens.

Solution: There are two different hydro-

static forces and two different lines of
action. On the water side,
Fw   h CG A  (62.4)(5)(10  5)  15600 lbf

positioned at 3.33 ft above point B. In the

seawater,

 h
Fs  (1.025  62.4)   (5h)
 2
 159.9h (lbf)
2

positioned at h/3 above point B. Summing moments about hinge point A gives the
desired seawater depth h:
 M A  0  (159.9h 2 )(12  h/3)  (15600)(12  3.33),
or 53.3h 3  1918.8h 2  135200  0, solve for h  9.85 ft Ans.
 Chapter 2  Pressure Distribution in a Fluid 83

2.83 Gate AB is a quarter-circle 10 ft

wide and hinged at B. Find the force F just Fig. P2.83
sufficient to keep the gate from opening.
The gate is uniform and weighs 3000 lbf.

Solution: The horizontal force is computed

as if AB were vertical:

FH   h CG A vert  (62.4)(4 ft)(8  10 ft 2 )

 19968 lbf acting 5.33 ft below A
The vertical force equals the weight of the
missing piece of water above the gate, as
shown below.

FV  (62.4)(8)(8  10)  (62.4)( /4)(8)2 (10)

 39936  31366  8570 lbf

The line of action x for this 8570-lbf force is found by summing moments from above:

 M B (of FV )  8570x  39936(4.0)  31366(4.605), or x  1.787 ft

Finally, there is the 3000-lbf gate weight W, whose centroid is 2R/  5.093 ft from
force F, or 8.0  5.093  2.907 ft from point B. Then we may sum moments about hinge B
to find the force F, using the freebody of the gate as sketched at the top-right of
this page:

 M B (clockwise)  0  F(8.0)  (3000)(2.907)  (8570)(1.787)  (19968)(2.667),

59840
or F   7480 lbf Ans.
8.0
84 Solutions Manual  Fluid Mechanics, Fifth Edition

2.86 The quarter circle gate BC in

Fig. P2.86 is hinged at C. Find the
horizontal force P required to hold the gate
stationary. The width b into the paper
is 3 m. Neglect the weight of the gate.

Solution: The horizontal component of Fig. P2.86

water force is

FH   h CG A  (9790 N/m 3 )(1 m)[(2 m)(3 m)]  58,740 N

This force acts 2/3 of the way down or 1.333 m down from the surface (0.667 m
up from C). The vertical force is the weight of the quarter-circle of water above
gate BC:
FV   (Vol)water  (9790 N/m 3 )[( /4)(2 m)2 (3 m)]  92,270 N

FV acts down at (4R/3)  0.849 m to the left of C. Sum moments clockwise about
point C:

 MC  0  (2 m)P  (58740 N)(0.667 m) – (92270 N)(0.849 m)  2P  117480

Solve for P  58,700 N  587kN Ans.
 Chapter 2  Pressure Distribution in a Fluid 85

2.91 The hemispherical dome in Fig. P2.91 weighs 30 kN and is filled with water and
attached to the floor by six equally-spaced bolts. What is the force in each bolt
required to hold the dome down?

Solution: Assuming no leakage, the hydrostatic force required equals the weight of
missing water, that is, the water in a 4-m-diameter cylinder, 6 m high, minus the
hemisphere and the small pipe:

Fig. P2.91

Ftotal  W2-m-cylinder  W2-m-hemisphere  W3-cm-pipe

 (9790) (2)2 (6)  (9790)(2 /3)(2)3  (9790)( /4)(0.03)2 (4)
 738149  164033  28  574088 N

The dome material helps with 30 kN of weight, thus the bolts must supply 57408830000
or 544088 N. The force in each of 6 bolts is 544088/6 or Fbolt  90700 N Ans.
86 Solutions Manual  Fluid Mechanics, Fifth Edition

2.92 A 4-m-diameter water tank consists

of two half-cylinders, each weighing Fig. P2.92
4.5 kN/m, bolted together as in Fig. P2.92.
If the end caps are neglected, compute the
force in each bolt.

Solution: Consider a 25-cm width of

upper cylinder, as seen below. The water
pressure in the bolt plane is

p1   h  (9790)(4)  39160 Pa

Then summation of vertical forces on this

25-cm-wide freebody gives
 Fz  0  p1A1  Wwater  Wtank  2Fbolt

 (39160)(4  0.25)  (9790)( /2)(2)2 (0.25)

(4500)/4  2Fbolt ,

Solve for Fone bolt  11300 N Ans.

2.104 The can in Fig. P2.104 floats in the position shown. What is its weight in
newtons?

Solution: The can weight simply equals the weight of the displaced water (neglecting
the air above):

Fig. P2.104


W  displaced  (9790) (0.09 m)2 (0.08 m)  5.0 N Ans.
4
88 Solutions Manual  Fluid Mechanics, Fifth Edition

2.105 Archimedes, when asked by King Hiero if the new crown was pure gold
(SG  19.3), found the crown weight in air to be 11.8 N and in water to be 10.9 N. Was
it gold?

Solution: The buoyancy is the difference between air weight and underwater weight:
B  Wair  Wwater  11.8  10.9  0.9 N   watercrown
But also Wair  (SG) watercrown , so Win water  B(SG  1)
Solve for SG crown  1  Win water /B  1  10.9/0.9  13.1 (not pure gold) Ans.
 Chapter 2  Pressure Distribution in a Fluid 89

_______________________________________________________________________
90 Solutions Manual  Fluid Mechanics, Fifth Edition

2.113 A spar buoy is a rod weighted to

float vertically, as in Fig. P2.113. Let the
buoy be maple wood (SG  0.6), 2 in by
2 in by 10 ft, floating in seawater (SG 
1.025). How many pounds of steel (SG 
7.85) should be added at the bottom so that
h  18 in? Fig. P2.113

Solution: The relevant volumes needed are

2  2 Wsteel
Spar volume    (10)  0.278 ft ; Steel volume 
3
12 12 7.85(62.4)
2  2
Immersed spar volume    (8.5)  0.236 ft
3
12 12

The vertical force balance is: buoyancy B  Wwood  Wsteel,

 Wsteel 
or: 1.025(62.4)  0.236   0.6(62.4)(0.278)  Wsteel
 7.85(62.4) 

or: 15.09  0.1306Wsteel  10.40  Wsteel , solve for Wsteel  5.4 lbf Ans.
Chapter 2  Pressure Distribution in a Fluid 91
92 Solutions Manual  Fluid Mechanics, Fifth Edition

2.137 A tank of water 4 m deep receives

a constant upward acceleration az.
Determine (a) the gage pressure at the tank
bottom if az  5 m2/s; and (b) the value of
az which causes the gage pressure at the
tank bottom to be 1 atm.

Solution: Equation (2.53) states that p  (g  a)  (kg  kaz) for this case. Then,
for part (a),
p  (g  a z )S  (998 kg/m 3 )(9.81  5 m 2 /s)(4 m)  59100 Pa (gage) Ans. (a)

For part (b), we know p  1 atm but we don’t know the acceleration:

m
p  (g  a z )S  (998)(9.81  a z )(4.0)  101350 Pa if a z = 15.6 Ans. (b)
s2
 Chapter 2  Pressure Distribution in a Fluid 93

2.139 The tank of liquid in the figure P2.139

accelerates to the right with the fluid in
rigid-body motion. (a) Compute ax in m/s2.
(b) Why doesn’t the solution to part (a)
depend upon fluid density? (c) Compute
gage pressure at point A if the fluid is Fig. P2.139
glycerin at 20C.

Solution: (a) The slope of the liquid gives us the acceleration:

a x 28  15 cm
tan    0.13, or:   7.4
g 100 cm
thus a x  0.13g  0.13(9.81)  1.28 m/s 2 Ans. (a)

(b) Clearly, the solution to (a) is purely geometric and does not involve fluid density. Ans. (b)
(c) From Table A-3 for glycerin,   1260 kg/m3. There are many ways to compute pA.
For example, we can go straight down on the left side, using only gravity:

pA   gz  (1260 kg/m3 )(9.81 m/s2 )(0.28 m)  3460 Pa (gage) Ans. (c)

Or we can start on the right side, go down 15 cm with g and across 100 cm with ax:

pA  gz  a x x  (1260)(9.81)(0.15)  (1260)(1.28)(1.00)

 1854  1607  3460 Pa Ans. (c)
94 Solutions Manual  Fluid Mechanics, Fifth Edition

2.146 The tank in Fig. P2.146 is filled

with water and has a vent hole at point A.
It is 1 m wide into the paper. Inside is a
10-cm balloon filled with helium at
130 kPa. If the tank accelerates to the
right at 5 m/s/s, at what angle will the
balloon lean? Will it lean to the left or to
the right?
Fig. P2.146

Solution: The acceleration sets up

pressure isobars which slant down and to
the right, in both the water and in the
helium. This means there will be a
buoyancy force on the balloon up and to
the right, as shown at right. It must be
balanced by a string tension down and to
the left. If we neglect balloon material
weight, the balloon leans up and to the
right at angle

 ax   5.0 
  tan 1   tan 1   27
 9.81
 Ans.
 g

measured from the vertical. This acceleration-buoyancy effect may seem counter-intuitive.
 Chapter 2  Pressure Distribution in a Fluid 95

2.152 A 16-cm-diameter open cylinder

27 cm high is full of water. Find the central
rigid-body rotation rate for which (a) one-
third of the water will spill out; and (b) the
bottom center of the can will be exposed.

Solution: (a) One-third will spill out if the

resulting paraboloid surface is 18 cm deep:

2 R 2 2 (0.08 m)2
h  0.18 m   , solve for 2  552,
2g 2(9.81)
  23.5 rad/s  224 r/min Ans. (a)
(b) The bottom is barely exposed if the paraboloid surface is 27 cm deep:

2 (0.08 m)2
h  0.27 m  , solve for   28.8 rad/s  275 r/min Ans. (b)
2(9.81)