Can someone explain this fluids formula to me?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the hydrostatic lift formula, specifically the equation P0 + P1 = P0 + P2 + (rho)gh. The term (rho)gh represents the hydrostatic pressure exerted by a fluid column due to gravity. This is derived from the relationship between mass, density, and volume, where mass (m) can be expressed as density (rho) multiplied by volume (V). The conclusion is that the force exerted by a fluid column is dependent solely on its height and density, not the area of the base.

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fernancb
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Homework Statement


The question pertains to hydrostatic lifts. So, assuming you have a lift and you're applying pressure to one side and the other side is rising:

P0 + P1 = P0 + P2 + (rho)gh

Now, when we look at the equation, why is it (rho)gh? I'm thinking it's something like mgh, so to convert it to fluids it would be (rho)Vgh why is this?
 
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rho*g*h is the hydrostatic pressure due to the gravity force on a fluid. Basically, the force a column of fluid will exert on a region beneath it is equal to the mass of the fluid times the acceleration of gravity, or m*g. Mass can also be written as density multiplied by volume, so m*g = rho*v*g. Now, per unit area, the volume of fluid is simply the height of the fluid column, so the force per unit area is equal to rho*g*h.
 
Okay, so the force exerted depends just on the the mass/volume/height of the fluid above it. Not the area. Did I get that right?
 

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