Water Pressure - Horizontal or Lateral

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SUMMARY

The pressure exerted by water on a vertical wall, such as that of a swimming pool, is determined by the depth of the water column above it. Specifically, water exerts approximately 0.433 psi for every foot of depth due to its weight of about 6 lbs per gallon. This pressure remains consistent in all directions at a given depth, meaning that whether the wall is vertical or at a 45-degree angle, the pressure experienced at that depth does not change.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic fluid mechanics
  • Knowledge of pressure measurement units (psi)
  • Familiarity with the concept of hydrostatic pressure
  • Basic arithmetic for calculating pressure based on depth
NEXT STEPS
  • Research hydrostatic pressure calculations in fluid mechanics
  • Explore the effects of wall angles on fluid dynamics
  • Learn about pressure distribution in different fluid scenarios
  • Investigate applications of pressure measurement in engineering
USEFUL FOR

Engineers, architects, and anyone involved in the design of water containment structures, such as swimming pools or tanks, will benefit from this discussion.

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Water weighs about 6lbs per gallon. So if one has a column of water, say, at 10 gallons, the pressure over an area is about 60lbs. This can be deduced to pounds per square inches.

Question:

How much pressure, per square inch, does water exert on a vertical wall such as a swimming pool? Does the pressure change if the wall is not vertcal but, say, at 45 degrees?

mark
 
Physics news on Phys.org
The pressure on a vertical wall of a swimming pool depends on the depth at which you measure it.

At any given depth, the pressure is the same in all directions; vertical, horizontal, or anything in between.
 

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