Calculating Force Exerted by Water on a Tilted Plate in a Tank

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the force exerted by water on a tilted semi-circular plate in a tank. The plate has a radius of 5 feet and is tilted at a 45-degree angle, with water filling the tank to a depth of 6 feet. The weight-density of water is given as 62.4 lb/ft³. The correct approach involves using the slicing method to determine the area of horizontal slices of the plate, leading to the integral ∫(62.4)(6-y)(10√2)dy from 0 to 6, resulting in a force of 11232√2 lb.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of fluid mechanics principles, specifically hydrostatic pressure.
  • Knowledge of calculus, particularly integration techniques.
  • Familiarity with the slicing method for calculating areas of irregular shapes.
  • Basic geometry, including properties of 45-45-90 triangles.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the slicing method in fluid mechanics for calculating forces on submerged surfaces.
  • Learn about hydrostatic pressure and its applications in engineering problems.
  • Practice integration techniques involving variable limits and physical applications.
  • Explore the properties of circular segments and their relevance in fluid dynamics.
USEFUL FOR

Students in engineering or physics courses, particularly those studying fluid mechanics, as well as educators looking for practical examples of hydrostatic force calculations.

NoobDoingMath
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Hi I have a midterm study guide question. This one has stumped me for a while and probably the only one undone.

Homework Statement


Suppose there is a semi-circular plate of radius 5 ft that rests on its
diameter and is tilted at 45 degree angle to the bottom of a tank lled with water to depth
6 feet. Find the force exerted by the water against one side of the plate. (The
weight-density of water is 62.4 lb=ft^3)


Homework Equations


So I'm reading the book and I know that to solve the problem Force is weight-density of water (62.4) times the depth (6-y) and the area.

Now the problem is I'm not quite sure how to approach the area. I just can't seem to grasp the image of the tank. Not to mention the 45 degree angle really confused my approach. I was under the assumption that its a 6ft tall cylinder with length 10ft and a plate on the bottom tilted at 45 degrees

The Attempt at a Solution


Problem seems simple, but I can't seem to figure out the 45 degree plate to find the area.

What i have is:

Integral from 0 to 6 of (62.4)(6-y)(area)

Now this is assuming that I approached this correctly.:confused:
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Welcome to PF!

Hi NoobDoingMath! Welcome to PF! :smile:
NoobDoingMath said:
What i have is:

Integral from 0 to 6 of (62.4)(6-y)(area)

Yes, that's basically correct.

You seem to be confused about the area …

I suggest in future you always use the slicing method.

In this case, slice the plate into horizontal slices of vertical distance dy …

then find the area of that slice (it'll be dy√2 times the width, won't it?) :wink:
 
Still a little bit confused, and I want to see if I'm understanding correctly. My "math English" isn't too good. :shy:

So √2 is a result of the 45-45-90 triangle right?
Therefore the slice is √2dy*width

The width is 10ft since its radius is 5 and the plate rest on its diameter?

Resulting my solution to be:

∫(62.4)(6-y)(10√2)dy a=0, b=6

My answer would become:

11232√2
 
Hi NoobDoingMath! :smile:

(just got up :zzz:)
NoobDoingMath said:
The width is 10ft since its radius is 5 and the plate rest on its diameter?

Nooo, you're not thinking straight. :redface:

Or, rather, you are thinking straight, and you should be thinking circular! :biggrin:

The width has to be the width of the slice

that's the whole point of slicing …

you add the area of each slice, and that depends on y, doesn't it? :wink:

Try again! :smile:
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
10K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 26 ·
Replies
26
Views
2K
Replies
11
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
5K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K