Use mercury barometer to fing height of building

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on calculating the height of a building using a mercury barometer, with readings of 700.0 mm on the roof and 715 mm on the ground. The user initially calculated the pressure difference as 15 mm Hg and used the incorrect density of mercury as 136,000 kg/m³ instead of the correct value of 13,600 kg/m³. The correct approach involves using the formula P = pgh, where the pressure difference must be accurately calculated using the correct density of mercury to determine the building's height.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of barometric pressure measurement
  • Knowledge of fluid mechanics principles
  • Familiarity with the formula P = pgh
  • Basic concepts of density and specific gravity
NEXT STEPS
  • Review the principles of barometric pressure and its applications
  • Learn about fluid statics and hydrostatic pressure calculations
  • Study the properties of mercury and its specific gravity
  • Explore common errors in pressure calculations and how to avoid them
USEFUL FOR

Students in physics or engineering, educators teaching fluid mechanics, and anyone interested in practical applications of barometric measurements for height determination.

stuplato
Messages
34
Reaction score
0
A mercury barometer reads 700.0 mm on the roof of a building and 715 mm on the ground. Assuming a constant value of 1.29 kg/m3 for the density of air, determine the height of the building.
.
My setup was finding the difference in the pressures for mercury and get 15 mm Hg
Then use Hg density = 136000 to get a pressure using P=pgh
So P will equal 1999200
then subtract atmosphere pressure and divide the result by 12.642 (pg)
But the answer is wrong... Where did I go astray?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I haven't checked anything else, but the specific gravity of mercury is 13.6, so its density is 13.6 times greater than water, so density of mercury is 13.6*10^3 = 13,600 kg/m^3.
You have 10 times that value, 136,000, or that a typo ??
 
The book claims the answer is that all the magnitudes are the same because "the gravitational force on the penguin is the same". I'm having trouble understanding this. I thought the buoyant force was equal to the weight of the fluid displaced. Weight depends on mass which depends on density. Therefore, due to the differing densities the buoyant force will be different in each case? Is this incorrect?

Similar threads

  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • · Replies 27 ·
Replies
27
Views
5K
Replies
10
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
4K
Replies
6
Views
7K