Fluid, pressure and weight question

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the comparison between the weight of liquid in two connected cylinders and the hydrostatic force at the base of the first cylinder. The weight of the liquid is calculated to be 5001ρπR²gH/5000, while the hydrostatic force supported by the base is 5000.5ρπR²gH/5000. The key insight is that the hydrostatic force is greater than the weight of the liquid due to the additional pressure from the column of water in the second cylinder. This extra pressure increases the total hydrostatic force on the base of the first cylinder. Ultimately, the pressure from the second cylinder contributes to a greater force than the weight of the liquid itself.
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Hi PF,
I think I solved well the problem but I don't know what's going on and I thought about it last night and I am at a loss on this...

Homework Statement


Consider a closed cylinder whose height is H and with radius R. On its top there is a cylinder of height H and radius \frac{R}{100} such that we can fill the 2 cylinders with liquid via the cylinder on the top of the other. (They are connected such that the liquid can flow between the cylinders).
Compare the weight of the liquid with the hydrostatic force supported by the base of the first cylinder.


Homework Equations


\Delta F=P \Delta A
P=\rho gH


The Attempt at a Solution



I found out that the weight of the liquid is \frac{5001 \rho \pi R^2 gH}{5000} while the force supported by the base of the first cylinder is \frac{5000.5 \rho \pi R^2 gH}{5000}. I find this incredible that the ground doesn't have to support all the weight of the liquid... I don't know what's going on. The problem is of course under the column of water formed by the second cylinder. It seems that its weight is greater than the force needed to support it. Maybe molecules are going upward there and so forming a flow... I really want to know!
 
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The answer is that the hydrostatic force supported by the base of the first cylinder is greater than the weight of the liquid. This is because the pressure on the base of the first cylinder is increased by the column of water formed by the second cylinder. The pressure on the base of the first cylinder is the sum of the pressure due to the weight of the liquid in both cylinders plus the pressure due to the column of water formed by the second cylinder. This extra pressure increases the hydrostatic force that the base of the first cylinder must support, making it greater than the weight of the liquid.
 
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