Answer :
Final answer:
The hydrostatic pressure at an 8 ft water level is determined by calculating the pressure due to the water column and adding atmospheric pressure. Using the density of water, gravitational acceleration, and the height of the water column, we can find the pressure in PSI and add 14.7 PSI for atmospheric pressure.
Explanation:
To calculate the hydrostatic pressure at an 8 ft water level in a 10 ft tank, we must consider both the pressure due to the water and the atmospheric pressure. The hydrostatic pressure is determined by the height of the water column and the density of the water.
The formula for hydrostatic pressure (P) is P = ρgh, where ρ (rho) is the density of water (which is approximately 62.4 lb/ft³), g is the acceleration due to gravity (32.2 ft/s²), and h is the height of the water column (8 ft). After computing the pressure due to the water, we convert it to pounds per square inch (PSI) by dividing by the conversion factor of 144 (since there are 144 square inches in one square foot).
The calculation is as follows: Pressure (in lbf/ft²) = 62.4 lb/ft³ × 8 ft × 32.2 ft/s². The result is then divided by 144 to convert to psi. Also, since the tank is open to the atmosphere, atmospheric pressure (14.7psi) must be included in the total pressure reading at the bottom of the tank.
Discussion: According to Pascal's Principle, the total pressure at a certain depth in a fluid is the sum of the pressure from the fluid above and the atmospheric pressure. Therefore, hydrostatic pressure plus atmospheric pressure will give us the total pressure.
