Why doesn't the water levels equal each other in a U-shaped tube?

[adam878787878]

Homework Statement

This question starts by stating.. "a U-shaped tube filled with water is closed on one end. Tube is about 1m tall. When water is removed from the open end, the water level in the closed end doesn't change.."
Then a series of questions..

My question is, why doesn't the water levels equal each other on each end, after you remove the amount of water?
I know its a matter of atms acting on the water, but can't understand how that works.
any help is really appreciated.
Thanks you!

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

 

[DaveC426913]

How much atmo is pressing down on the water at the open end?
How much atmo is pressing down on the water at the closed end?

 

[adam878787878]

ok so the open end is exposed to atmospheric pressing down on it, but the closed end is not.
That is why open end will have lower water level than closed end right?
please tell me if this is correct understanding of this?

thanks!

 

[DaveC426913]

Well, you've got the right answer, I can't say whether or not you understand it.

Do you?

 

[adam878787878]

thanks for the response. yes i think i understand it.
what about this: at a point at the bottem of both tubes (its u-shaped, so the bottem of it is shared) is the pressure greater, same, or less than pressure if both tubes at same level?

i know that pressure depends on depth, but I am confused because which depth do we consider (left and right tubes are different depths?

 

[adam878787878]

i actually mean left and right tubes have different levels. (so= different depths)

 

[DaveC426913]

thanks for the response. yes i think i understand it.
what about this: at a point at the bottem of both tubes (its u-shaped, so the bottem of it is shared) is the pressure greater, same, or less than pressure if both tubes at same level?

If the pressure on each side were uneven, what do you think would happen?

Think about the open end. If the (pressure at the bottom) were greater than (the water in the open end weighed), what would happen to it? If the (pressure at the bottom) were less than (the water in the open end weighed) what would it do?

i know that pressure depends on depth, but I am confused because which depth do we consider (left and right tubes are different depths?

Pressure depends on the depth of the whole column, including any air above the water's surface (about 60 miles of it , which happens to exert a pressure of 1 atmosphere).