Pressure in fluids and Pascal's law.

In summary, the force of pressure inside a fluid acts equally in all directions, including upwards, and Pascal's law states that pressure at any point in a fluid is the same regardless of the weight of the fluid column. This explains how the pressure can travel sideways and pop out the other piston in the example given.
  • #1
harjyot
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I have a lot of confusion and I hope someone can help me in clearing my doubts.
considering a right cylindrical container with a liquid filled in ,if we take two points, y1 and y2(near the bottom)

1) first of all I thought that pressure inside a fluid arose because of the weight of the fluid column and it was always in the downward direction.but now I find it's in the upward direction too? (is this only when an object is introduced?!)

2) does the Pascal's law that pressure at any point in a fluid is same, work only when the weight of the fluid column is not considered right?

3)if I have a container with some liquid and a piston on the top, I attach another parallel cylinder to it's side with a piston. now when I push the first piston, shouldn't the pressure move only in the downward direction? but we see that it travels sideways and pops the other piston out. how?
 
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  • #2
harjyot said:
1) first of all I thought that pressure inside a fluid arose because of the weight of the fluid column and it was always in the downward direction.but now I find it's in the upward direction too? (is this only when an object is introduced?!)
The force of pressure at any point acts equally in all directions.

harjyot said:
2) does the Pascal's law that pressure at any point in a fluid is same, work only when the weight of the fluid column is not considered right?
No. The Law includes the pressure from weight of the fluid column:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal's_law#Definition

harjyot said:
3)if I have a container with some liquid and a piston on the top, I attach another parallel cylinder to it's side with a piston. now when I push the first piston, shouldn't the pressure move only in the downward direction? but we see that it travels sideways and pops the other piston out. how?
See 1)
 

FAQ: Pressure in fluids and Pascal's law.

What is pressure in fluids?

Pressure in fluids is the measure of the amount of force that is applied over a certain area within the fluid. It is typically measured in units of force per unit area, such as pounds per square inch (psi) or pascals (Pa).

How is pressure in fluids calculated?

Pressure in fluids is calculated by dividing the force acting on a given area by the area itself. This is represented by the equation P = F/A, where P is the pressure, F is the force, and A is the area.

What is Pascal's law?

Pascal's law states that when pressure is applied to a confined fluid, the pressure is transmitted equally in all directions within the fluid. This means that any change in pressure at one point in the fluid will be transmitted to all other points in the fluid.

How is Pascal's law used in everyday life?

Pascal's law is used in many everyday devices, such as hydraulic systems, car brakes, and water guns. It allows for the amplification of force by transmitting pressure through a confined fluid, making it useful for lifting heavy objects and applying precise amounts of force.

What factors affect pressure in fluids?

The pressure in a fluid can be affected by several factors, including the force applied, the area over which the force is applied, and the density and depth of the fluid. Additionally, changes in temperature and volume can also impact the pressure in a fluid.

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