Example 3.4.

Calculating pressure with multi-fluid manometer

The water in a tank is pressurized by air, and the pressure is measured by a multifluid manometer
as shown in Figure below. Determine the gage pressure of air in the tank if h1 = 0.2 m, h2 = 0.3
m, and h3 = 0.46 m.

We assume that the air pressure in the tank is uniform (i.e., its variation with elevation is
negligible due to its low density), and thus we can determine the pressure at the air-water
interface. Take the densities of water, oil, and mercury to be 1000 kg/m3, 850 kg/m3, and 13,600
kg/m3, respectively.

Solution: Starting with the pressure at point 1 at the air-water interface, and moving along the
tube by adding (as we go down) or subtracting (as we go up) the ρgh terms until we reach
point 2, and setting the result equal to patm since the tube is open to the atmosphere gives:

p1 + ρwater gh 1 + ρoil gh 2 − ρHg gh 3

Solving for p1 :
p1 = p atm − ρwater gh 1 − ρoil gh 2 + ρHg gh 3
or,
p1 − p atm = g ( ρHg h3 − ρoil h2 − ρwater gh 1 )
Noting that p1, gage = p1 − p atm and substituting,

[ ]
p1, gage = (9.81 m s 2 ) (13,600 kg m 3 )( 0.46 m ) − (850 kg m 3 )( 0.3m ) − (1000 kg m 3 )( 0.2m ) =
= 56 .9kPa

Note that jumping horizontally from one tube to the next and realizing that pressure remains the
same in the same fluid simplifies the analysis greatly.
Example 3.5. Expressing blood pressure in various units

Blood pressure is usually measured by wrapping a closed air-filled jacket equipped with a
pressure gage around the upper arm of a person at the level of the heart. Using a mercury
manometer and a stethoscope, the systolic pressure (the maximum pressure when the heart is
pumping) and the diastolic pressure (the minimum pressure when the heart is resting) are
measured in mmHg. The systolic and diastolic pressures of a healthy person are about 120
mmHg and 80 mmHg, respectively, and are indicated as 120/80. Express both of these gage
pressures in kPa, and meter water column.

We assume that both mercury and water are incompressible substances. We take the densities of
water and mercury to be 1000 kg/m3 and 13,600 kg/m3, respectively.

Solution Using the relation p = ρgh for gage pressure, the high and low pressures are expressed
as:

p high = ρ gh high= 13,600  kg/m 3  9 . 81  m/s 2  0 . 12  m =16 . 0 kPa

p low= ρ ghlow = 13,600  kg/m 3  9. 81  m/s 2   0. 08  m =10. 7 kPa

For a given pressure, the relation P = ρgh is expressed for mercury and water as
p = ρwater gh water and p = ρmercury gh mercury . Setting these two relations equal to each other and
solving for water height gives:

ρmercury
p = ρwater gh water = ρmercury gh mercury → hwater = hmercury
ρwater

Therefore,

ρmercury 13 ,600 kg/m 3

hwater, = hmercury, high = (0.12 m) = 1.63 m
high
ρwater 1000 kg/m 3
ρmercury 13 ,600 kg/m 3
hwater, = hmercury, low = (0.08 m) = 1.09 m
ρwater
low
1000 kg/m 3

Note that measuring blood pressure with a water manometer would involve water column
heights higher than the person’s height, and thus it is impractical. This problem shows why
mercury is a suitable fluid for blood pressure measurement devices.

Example 3.6. Measuring height of a building with a barometer

The basic barometer can be used to measure the height of a building. If the barometric readings
at the top and at the bottom of a building are 730 and 755 mmHg, respectively, determine the
height of the building. Assume an average air density of 1.18 kg/m3.

We assume that the variation of air density with altitude is negligible. The density of mercury is
13,600 kg/m3.

Solution. Atmospheric pressures at the top and at the bottom of the building are:

( )( )
p top = ( ρgh ) top = 13,600 kg m 3 9.81 m s 2 ( 0.730 m ) = 97 .39 kPa

pbottom = ( ρgh ) bottom = (13,600 kg m 3 )(9.81 m s 2 )( 0.755 m ) = 100 .73kPa

Taking an air column between the top and the bottom of the building, we write a force balance
per unit base area,

Wair A = pbottom − ptop and ( ρgh ) air = p bottom − p top

(1.18 kg m 3 )(9.81 m s 2 )h = (100 .73 − 97 .39 ) kPa

which yields h = 288.5 m ≅ 289 m, which is also the height of the building