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f8pc
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How is hydrostatic pressure not a function of the shape of the container? My professor says that the pressure P2 is the same for the figures on the right and left. How does the area of the two sections not matter at all? Clearly, if a plate is inserted of negligible mass, thickness, and buoyancy, the pressure at P2 is not equal (see work under each figure). If the forces without the plate aren't distributed across the area of the bottom pool, then the pressure on the far left or far right of of the bottom pool of the left figure would only be pg*h2 and not pg*(h1+h2).
[PLAIN]http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/6066/hydrostaticpressure.jpg
[PLAIN]http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/6066/hydrostaticpressure.jpg
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