APPARATUS

Beam Adjustable
level Pivot counterbalan
ce
Weightindication
hanger
Quadrant

Drain valve

PROCEDURE

1. Measure the dimension of

H quadrant (height of quadrant
[D], width of quadrant [B]).
D After that measure the length of
balance arm, L and height of
quadrant to pivot, H.

Water Close 2. Close drain valve and admit

water until the water fully filled
D in tank. Make sure that the
water does not spill out from
B the tank.

3. Then place weight 500g on the

Adjustable
counterbalance weight hanger. Adjust the
counterbalance until balance
weight arm is horizontal and make sure
it is stable. (placed in the
middle of the beam level
indication)

4. Start remove the weight

progressively when it is in
balance condition.
Not balance
5. Slowly reducing water from
tank by open the drain valve
until balance arm is horizontal
 and stable.

6. Next, record the mass of load,

m and the depth of immersion,
d. Repeat above step for each
balance weight (50g) by reducing a
further weight from the weight
hanger.

7. Continue until water level reach

the lowest scale from bottom of
open quadrant.

8. Lastly, repeat the procedure in

reverse form (progressively
adding weight at the weight
hanger).
OBJECTIVE
1. To determine the hydrostatic thrust acting on a plane surface immersed in
water.
2. To determine the depth of centre of pressure.
3. To compare the experimental and theoretical results.

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
This experiment to show the hydrostatic thrust acting on a plane surface
immersed in water and centre of pressure.
Referring from the definition of the centre of pressure which is the point in a
plane at which the total liquid thrust can be said to be acting normal to that
plane. By achieving an equilibrium condition between the moments acting on the
balance arm of the test apparatus, the forces acting are the weight force applied
to the balance and the hydrostatic pressure thrust on the end face of the
quadrant.

A. Fully Submerged Vertical Plane Surface

Where :
d = The depth of submersion
F = The hydrostatic thrust exerted on the quadrant
h = The depth of centroid
h= The depth of centre of pressure, P
 h= The distance of the line of action of thrust below the pivot. The line of
action passes through the centre of pressure, P

Fully Submerged Vertical Plane Surface Hydrostatic Thrust

D
(
Hydraostatic Thrust , F= gBD d
2 ) (N)

(1.1)

Fully Submerged Vertical Plane Surfaces Experimental Depth of Centre

of Pressure

Moment , M =Fh (Nm)

(1.2)

The weight, W, applied to the hanger at the end of the balance arm produced
balancing. The moment is proportional to the length of the balance arm, L.

Fh = WL (mgL)
(1.3)

Substitute (1.1) into (1.3)

Fh=WL

D
(
gBD d
2 )
h=mgL

h = {mL} over { BD left (d- {D} over {2} right )} (m)

(1.4)
Fully Submerged Vertical Plane Surfaces Theoretical Depth of Centre
of Pressure

The theoretical result for depth of centre of pressure, P

Ix
h' =
Ah
(1.5)

Where

Ix = 2nd moment of area of immersed section about an axis in the free

surface. Using parallel axis theorem,

I x =Ic+ Ah2

B D3
[ ( )]
2
D
I x= + BD d
12 2

(1.6)

[ ( )]
D2 2
D 4
I x =BD + d ( m )
12 2

(1.7)

Depth of the centre of pressure below pivot point is

 h =h'+H-d (m)
(1.8)

Substitute (1.5) into (1.8)

h =h'+H-d

h = {{I} rsub {x}} over {Ah} + H-d

h = {BD left [{{D} ^ {2}} over {12} + {left (d- {D} over {2} right )} ^ {2} right ]} over {BD left (d- {D} o

h = {left [{{D} ^ {2}} over {12} + {left (d- {D} over {2} right )} ^ {2} right ]} over {d- {D} over {2}} + H
(m) (1.9)

B. Partially Submerged Vertical Plane Surface

Partially Submerged Vertical Plane Surface Hydrostatic Thrust

B d2
HydraostaticThrust , F= g ( )
2 (N)

(1.1)

Partially Submerged Vertical Plane Surfaces Experimental Depth of

Centre of Pressure

Moment , M =Fh (Nm)

(1.2)

The weight, W, applied to the hanger at the end of the balance arm produced
balancing. The moment is proportional to the length of the balance arm, L.
 Fh = WL (mgL)
(1.3)

Substitute (1.1) into (1.3)

Fh=WL

Bd 2
g ( )
2
h=mgL

h = {2mL} over { {Bd} ^ {2}} (m)

(1.4)

Partially Submerged Vertical Plane Surfaces Theoretical Depth of

Centre of Pressure

The theoretical result for depth of centre of pressure, P

h =H- {d} over {3}

(1.5)

DISCUSSION
This experiment to determine the hydrostatic thrust acting on a plane surface
immersed in water, the depth of centre of pressure and to compare the
experimental and theoretical results getting from the experiment.
Referring from this experiment, the parameter was obtained which is the
dimension of quadrant, height, D and width, B also the height of quadrant to
pivot, H. Then the length of balance arm, L. During the experiment was
conducted another parameter was obtained which is the depth of immersion, d,
the type of immersion whether it is fully or partially submerged and the mass of
load that was using while conducted the experiment.
From all the parameter above, the hydrostatic thrust was calculated using,
 D
For fully submerged, F= gBD d ( 2 )
B d2
Partially submerged, F= g ( )
2

The depth of centre of pressure also was computed using,

For fully submerged, h = {mL} over { BD left (d- {D} over {2} right )}

Partially submerged, h = {2mL} over { {Bd} ^ {2}}

However, the depth of centre of pressure also can get without an experiment.
Using theoretical which is

For fully submerged,

h = {left [{{D} ^ {2}} over {12} + {left (d- {D} over {2} right )} ^ {2} right ]} over {d- {D} over {2}} + H

Partially submerged, h =H- {d} over {3}

And the experimental and theoretical was being compared by calculation

TheoreticalExperimental
Percentage error ( ) = 100
Theoretical

Taking mass of load, g=150g as sample calculation

0.2600.178
100 =46.07
0.260

From the graph, the percentage error was obtained is 46.07%

The error might came from the human error that occur while doing the
experiment such as the eyes is not perpendicular while taking the reading of the
height of the water. The balance arm is not really balancing also can affect the
reading of the height and then can affect the difference number of the
experimental and the theoretical depth of centre of pressure.

CONCLUSION
Based on the experiment, the number of hydrostatic thrust, the depth of centre
of pressure was achieved. Referring to the number of hydrostatic thrust, it is
become higher when the depth of immersion of the object is higher. And the
difference of experimental and the theoretical of the depth centre of pressure is
46.07%. Hence, the other objective of this experiment which is to compare the
experimental and theoretical results getting from the experiment was also
achieved.