Pressure in fluids and Pascal's law.

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SUMMARY

This discussion clarifies key concepts related to pressure in fluids and Pascal's Law. It establishes that pressure in a fluid acts equally in all directions, not just downward, and that Pascal's Law applies regardless of the weight of the fluid column. The interaction between pistons in a fluid-filled container demonstrates that pressure can transmit laterally, contradicting the initial assumption that it only moves downward. The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding these principles for accurate applications in fluid mechanics.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of fluid mechanics principles
  • Familiarity with Pascal's Law
  • Basic knowledge of pressure concepts in physics
  • Experience with hydraulic systems and their components
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the derivation and applications of Pascal's Law in hydraulic systems
  • Explore the concept of hydrostatic pressure and its calculations
  • Investigate the behavior of fluids in motion and the principles of fluid dynamics
  • Learn about the applications of pressure transmission in engineering, particularly in hydraulic machinery
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for students of physics, engineers working with hydraulic systems, and anyone interested in understanding the principles of fluid pressure and its applications in real-world scenarios.

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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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)
 

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