PRESSURE

DEFINITION
Pressure is defined as the amount of force exerted on a unit
area of a substance:
force N
P 2 Pa
area m

Atmospheric
Air
PRESSURE
IN FLUID
PRESSURE
AND DEPTH
 UNITS FOR PRESSURE
Definition or
Unit
Relationship
1 pascal (Pa) 1 N/m2
1 bar 1 x 105 Pa
1 atmosphere (atm) 101,325 Pa
1 torr 1 / 760 atm
760 mm Hg 1 atm
14.696 lbf/in2 (psi) 1 atm
 STATIC PRESSURE
Pressure at the bottom of the static column of
fluid:

F
P gh Po
A
where: P = pressure at the bottom of the column
of the fluid
F = force
A = area
= density
g = acceleration of gravity
h = height of the fluid column
Po = pressure at the top of the column of
the fluid
Alternative form considering consistency of units:

F g
P h Po
A gc
 MEASUREMENT OF PRESSURE
Absolute pressure: -The pressure of a
fluid is expressed relative to that of
vacuum (P=0)

Gauge pressure -Pressure expressed as

the difference between the pressure of
the fluid and that of the surrounding
atmosphere.

Pabs Patm Pgauge

Manometers
fluidpressure

pressuredevices

differentialpressure
 MEASUREMENT OF PRESSURE DIFFERENCE
Remember the formula for static pressure

P gh Po

Pa P1 1d1 g

Pb P2 2 d 2 g f hg

P1 1d1 g P2 2 d 2 g f hg
Underlying principle
If fluid 1 and 2 are the same: 1= 2=
Fluid pressure is the same at any two points
of the same height of a continuous fluid
P1 P2 ( f )hg
Pa Pb