High School

In the customary (metric) system of measurement, at sea level, how many feet (meters) could a pump theoretically lift water?

1) 30.8 feet (9 m)
2) 33.8 feet (10 m)
3) 38.3 feet (11 m)
4) 38.8 feet (12 m)

Answer :

inal answer:

The correct answer is 2) 33.8 feet (10 m) A pump can theoretically lift water 33.8 feet (10 meters) at sea level in the metric system, due to the atmospheric pressure being able to support a column of water nearly 30 feet high.

Explanation:

In the customary (metric) system of measurement, at sea level, a pump could theoretically lift water 33.8 feet (10 meters). This is because at sea level, the air pressure is sufficient to support a column of water up to nearly thirty feet high. If a perfect vacuum were created within a straw or a tube, the external atmospheric pressure would push the water up to a total height of about 10.3 meters. This is equivalent to the atmospheric pressure exerted by the gases in our environment, which is 101,325 N/m² or 14.7 pounds per square inch (psi). In practice, the maximum height water can be lifted by atmospheric pressure alone is slightly less, generally around 9 meters or 30 feet.

In the customary (metric) system of measurement, at sea level, a pump could theoretically lift water 33.8 feet (10 m).The pressure outside of the straw at sea level is enough to push water to a total height of about 10.3 m. However, due to the air pressure at sea level, the water can only rise up to about thirty feet. Therefore, the closest option from the given choices is 33.8 feet (10 m).