fluid_mechanics

2.5 Measurement of Pressure 49
p vapor
A
h
p atm
B
Mercury
F I G U R E 2.8
Mercury barometer.
Mercury
Water
noted that pressure differences are independent of the reference, so that no special notation is required
in this case.
The measurement of atmospheric pressure is usually accomplished with a mercury barometer,
which in its simplest form consists of a glass tube closed at one end with the open end immersed
in a container of mercury as shown in Fig. 2.8. The tube is initially filled with mercury
1inverted with its open end up2 and then turned upside down 1open end down2, with the open end
in the container of mercury. The column of mercury will come to an equilibrium position where
its weight plus the force due to the vapor pressure 1which develops in the space above the column2
balances the force due to the atmospheric pressure. Thus,
p atm gh p vapor
(2.13)
where g is the specific weight of mercury. For most practical purposes the contribution of the vapor
pressure can be neglected since it is very small [for mercury, p lbin. 2
vapor 0.000023 1abs2 at
a temperature of 68 °F], so that p atm gh. It is conventional to specify atmospheric pressure in
terms of the height, h, in millimeters or inches of mercury. Note that if water were used instead of
mercury, the height of the column would have to be approximately 34 ft rather than 29.9 in. of
mercury for an atmospheric pressure of 14.7 psia! This is shown to scale in the figure in the margin.
The concept of the mercury barometer is an old one, with the invention of this device attributed
to Evangelista Torricelli in about 1644.
E XAMPLE 2.3
Barometric Pressure
GIVEN A mountain lake has an average temperature of 10 °C and FIND Determine the absolute pressure 1in pascals2 at the deepest
a maximum depth of 40 m. The barometric pressure is 598 mm Hg. part of the lake.
SOLUTION
The pressure in the lake at any depth, h, is given by the equation
p gh p 0
where p 0 is the pressure at the surface. Since we want the absolute
pressure, p 0 will be the local barometric pressure expressed in a
consistent system of units; that is
p barometric
g Hg
and for g Hg 133 kNm 3
598 mm 0.598 m
p 0 10.598 m21133 kNm 3 2 79.5 kNm 2
From Table B.2, g H2 O 9.804 kNm 3 at 10 °C and therefore
p 19.804 kNm 3 2140 m2 79.5 kNm 2
392 kNm 2 79.5 kNm 2
472 kPa 1abs2
(Ans)
COMMENT This simple example illustrates the need for
close attention to the units used in the calculation of pressure; that
is, be sure to use a consistent unit system, and be careful not to
add a pressure head 1m2 to a pressure 1Pa2.