Unit 6 Fluids and Pressure

•What is a fluid?
•How is pressure defined?
•Pressure due to liquid and atmosphere
•What is gauge pressure and absolute pressure?
•How is pressure measured?
•What is blood pressure, systole and diastole?
•How is the blood pressure measured?
•Bernoulli’s principle and its applications
 Fluids and Pressure in fluids

Fluids: all liquids and gases

Human circulation system and respiration
system contain fluids
examples of pressures in fluids :
– blood pressure
– atmospheric pressure
– Hydraulic pressure
 Pressure
F
P=
A
F is the force applied perpendicularly to area A
SI unit for pressure: N/m2 (Pascal)
1 Pa = 1 N/m2
other common unit for pressure: mm Hg (1
atmospheric pressure = 760 mmHg)
The greater the area a force is applied, the
smaller the pressure.
 Static liquid pressure
1. Pressure in a liquid increases with depth
because of the greater amount of liquid pushing
down.
2. Pressure at a given depth acts equally in all
directions.
3. The pressure at a given depth does not
depend on the shape of the vessel containing the
liquid. It only depends on the depth. .
4. Pressure depends on the density of the liquid.
The denser the liquid, the greater the pressure
at any given depth.
 Pressure due to the weight of a fluid

P = hρg

The bottom of this container supports all the

weight of the fluid. The sides of the container
do not exert any upward force because it is not
possible for shear force to be applied on it.
 Atmospheric pressure
an example of pressure due to the weight of a
fluid
standard atmospheric pressure Patm is the
average value at sea level (static pressure)
1 atm = 1.013x 105 N/m2 = 1.013 x 105 Pa
i.e. on a windless average day at sea level, the
column of air on 1.00 m2 of the earth’s surface
has a weight of 1.01 3x 105 N
Atmospheric pressure
Question: At what depth does water exert the same
amount of pressure as the entire atmosphere?

Calculate the depth in water at which water

exerts pressure equal to 1.00 atm.

1000 kg/m3 x 10 m/s2 x h=1.013 x 105 N/m2

h= 10.1 m
Gauge Pressure and Absolute Pressure
If a pressure is measured relative to 1 atm, then it is
called gauge pressure. (Pg 表压 )

Gauge pressure is positive for pressures above

atmospheric pressure, and negative for pressures
below it.

Comparison of two gauge pressure is called relative

pressure or differential pressure.

Blood pressure is a gauge pressure. The difference of

blood pressure between two points in the pulmonary
system is a relative pressure..
If a pressure is measured with respect to
vacuum (0 atm), then it is called an absolute
pressure. (Pabs 绝对压力 )

Pabs = Pg + Patm
• absolute pressure in fluids cannot
be negative.
• the smallest absolute pressure is
zero.
• the smallest possible gauge
pressure is Pg = -Patm (i. e. Pabs is
zero),
 Measurement of gauge pressure
Pascal’s principle: A change in pressure applied
to an enclosed fluid is transmitted undiminished
to all portions of the fluid and to the walls of its
container.

In mechanical pressure
gauges such as an oil
pressure gauge, the pressure
of liquid creates a force,
which is then converted into
a pressure reading.
 Open-tube manometer

Manometers ( 壓力計 ) is a device to measure gauge

pressure: Pg=ghρ ,
 Open-tube manometer
(a) The liquid levels on both sides of the tube are the
same. Both sides are open to atmosphere. Therefore
atmospheric pressure pushes down on both sides
equally.
(b) A positive gauge pressure Pg = hρ g is transmitted
to the left hand side of the manometer, supporting
liquid column of height h.
(c) The pressure applied on the right is less than the
atmospheric pressure by hρ g. This is a negative gauge
pressure.
A manometer with one side open to the atmosphere
can be used for measuring gauges pressures Pg = hρ g
by just measuring h.
 Mercury manometer
• Gauges pressures can be
represented as millimeters of
mercury (mmHg) above or below Patm
• The reference point of a gauge
pressure is 1 atm
• Blood pressure measurement are
commonly made by the mercury
manometer, and values are usually
given in mmHg
• If the valve is open, then equal
pressure on both sides, mercury
have same heights;
• If the valve is closed, the pump can increase the pressure
in the manometer. The height of mercury column on the
left will show the pressure added by the pump.
 Barometer
Mercury barometers ( 氣壓
計 ) are used to measure
atmospheric pressure.
The atmospheric pressure is
exerted on the mercury open
to the atmosphere, causing
the mercury in the closed
tube to rise. There is no
pressure in the tube because
it is a vacuum.
The height of the mercury in
the closed tube is
atmospheric pressure which
equals hρ g .
1 atm = 760 mm Hg = 760 Torr
1 atm = 1.013 x 105 N/m2 (Pa)
(density of mercury: 13.6 x 103 kg/m3)
Blood pressures
Systolic and diastolic blood pressures
收缩 壓 舒張 壓
Measuring blood pressure

A Sphygmomanometer
Sphygmomanometer
 Measuring blood pressure
A common way to measure arterial blood pressure
is the auscultatory ( 聽診 ) method. This method
requires a sphygmomanometer ( 血壓計 ), and a
stethoscope ( 聽診器 ).
The main parts of a sphygmomanometer contain a
pressure cuff, a hand pump with a valve, a pressure
dial or a mercury manometer.
The cuff used to measure the blood pressure
should not be too narrow, or it will falsely raise the
blood pressure. The inflatable bladder inside the
cuff should have a width that is 40% of the arm
circumference, and a length that is 80% of the arm
circumference.
 Measuring blood pressure
A stethoscope possesses 4 basic parts: a bell,
diaphragm, tubing, and earpieces.
The bell detects a broad spectrum of sounds and
is used to listen to low-pitched heart and lung
sounds.
The diaphragm is used to listen to high pitched
heart and lung sounds.
The tubing should be thick enough so the
external noise cannot be heard
 Fluid flow in a pipe
When a fluid flows slowly along a pipe, the flow
is said to be steady (laminar flow, 層流 )
Streamlines, which are lines representing the
direction of fluid flow, are drawn parallel to the
walls of the pipe.
When the liquid flows faster than a certain
speed, the friction between the pipe walls and
the liquid increases. This creates turbulence,
and the streamlines are no longer straight. This
is called turbulent flow ( 湍流 ).
 Fluid flow in a pipe

Laminar flow occurs Turbulent flow mixes

in layers without the fluid. There is
mixing. more interaction,
greater heating, and
more resistance than
in laminar flow.
How to determine systolic and diastolic pressures
Below optional
 Bernoulli’s Principle
For an incompressible, frictionless steady flow fluid, the
following sum is constant:
P + 12 ρv 2 + ρgh = constant

P1 + ρv + ρgh1 = P2 + 2 ρv2 + ρgh2

1
2
2
1
or 1 2

For h1=h2 P1 + ρv = P2 + ρv
1
2
2
1
1
2
2
2

the greater the fluid velocity, the smaller the

fluid pressure
 Bernoulli’s Equation

When air flows between two vehicles, it increases in

velocity because of the narrower passageway. This creates
a low pressure between the vehicles. The higher pressure
on the outside of the vehicles pushes them together .
 Applications of Bernoulli’s Principle

(a) This Bunsen burner has an adjustable nozzle used to

control the amount of air entering to cause
combustion
(b) This atomizer uses a squeeze bulb to propel air over
perfume so that the perfume can be changed into
 Applications of Bernoulli’s Principle

(c) This aspirator uses high velocity water to

create negative pressure to suck air into a tube.
It is used by dentists and surgeons. It is also
used to drain flooded basements.
(d) This water heater uses the movement of hot
air to suck cool air into its chimney
Nebulizers (atomizers) are aerosol therapy units
in which suspended fine particles or droplets appear
in the administered gas. This is accomplished by the
Bernoulli principle. Nebulizers of this type are all-
purpose and rely on the restriction to convert liquid
to vapor.