3

23
A mercury barometer reads 26.45 m. (a) what would be the corresponding reading of a water
barometer? (b) what is the atmospheric pressure in pounds per square inch? (c) what is the approximate
elevation above sea level, assuming normal atmospheric conditions? Neglect vapor pressure.

Given:

h= 26.45 in Hg

Required:

(a) Reading of water barometer

(b) Patm in lb/in2
(c) Elevation above sea level

Solution:
34 𝑓𝑡 𝐻2 𝑂
(a) 26.45 in. Hg x 30 𝑖𝑛.𝐻𝑔
= 30 ft H2O

Also,

p= wh
𝑝𝑠𝑖 26.45
p= 0.434 x 13.6 𝑓𝑡 𝐻𝑔 x 12
ft Hg

p= 13.01 psi

𝑝
h= 𝑤
13.01 𝑝𝑠𝑖
= 𝑝𝑠𝑖 = 29.976 ft H2O
0.434
𝑓𝑡 𝐻2 𝑂

= 30 ft H2O

(b) Patm= wh
𝑝𝑠𝑖 26.45
= 0.434 x 13.6 x 𝑓𝑡 𝐻𝑔
𝑓𝑡 𝐻𝑔 12

= 13.01 psia
 𝑝
(c) h= 𝑤

p= 13.01 – 14.7 = 1.69 psi

𝑖𝑛2
1.69 𝑝𝑠𝑖 𝑥 144
𝑓𝑡2
h= 𝑙𝑏
0.0765
𝑓𝑡3

h= 3200 ft

4
23
On a mountain, the barometric pressure is 24 in. of mercury at 32 °F.

(a) what is the pressure in pounds per square inch?

(b) Assuming normal atmospheric conditions, approximately how high is the mountain above sea
level

Given:

h= 24 in. Hg

Required:

Pressure in lb/in2

Height of mountain above sea level

Solution:

p= wh
𝑝𝑠𝑖 24
p= 0.434 x 13.6 𝑓𝑡 𝐻𝑔
x 12 ft Hg

p= 11.805 psi

p @ 5280 ft= 12.08 psi

p @ 6000 ft= 11.76 psi

by interpolation
5280 12.08
𝑥( ) 0.275
5280 + 𝑥 11.805
720 6000 11.76 0.32
 0.725
x= 720 ( 0.32 )

x= 618.75 ft

H= 5280 + 618.75

H= 5898.75 ft

H= 5900 ft

4
27
In fig. A, find the pressure head and the pressure at m when:

(a) Fluid A is water, fluid B is mercury, z= 15in.; y= 30 in.

(b) Fluid A is oil (sp gr= 0.80), fluid B is a calcium chloride solution (sp gr= 1.25), z= 12in.; y= 8 ft
(c) Fluid A is gas (w=0.04 lb/ft3), fluid B is water, z= 5 in; y= 15 in.

How much does the value of y affect the result?

Solution:

(a) A- H2O y= 30 in
B- Hg z= 15 in

At right leg:

P2= wBz
𝑝𝑠𝑖 15
P2= 0.434 x 13.6 x ft Hg
𝑓𝑡 𝐻𝑔 12
P2= 7.378 psi

AT left leg:

P2= Pm + wAy
𝑝𝑠𝑖 30
P2= Pm + 0.434 𝑓𝑡 𝐻 x 12 ft H2O
2𝑂

P2= Pm + 1.085 psi

Equating:

Pm= 7.378-1.085

Pm= 6.293 psi

𝑃𝑚 6.283 𝑝𝑠𝑖
hm= 𝑤
= 𝑝𝑠𝑖
0.434
𝑓𝑡 𝐻2 𝑂

hm= 14.5 H2O

(b) A- oil (sp gr= 0.80)

B- calcium chloride solution (sp gr 1.25)
y= 8ft
z= 12 in

At right leg

P2= wBz
𝑝𝑠𝑖
P2= 0.434 x 1.25 x 1ft Cal.Chl.
𝑓𝑡 𝐶𝑎𝑙.𝐶ℎ𝑙.

P2= 0.5425 psi

At left leg

P2= Pm + wAy
𝑝𝑠𝑖
P2= Pm + 0.434 x 0.80 𝑓𝑡 𝑜𝑖𝑙 x 8ft oil

P2= Pm + 27776 psi

Equating:

Pm= 0.5425 – 2.7776

Pm= -2.235 psi

𝑃𝑚
hm= 𝑤
 −2.235 𝑝𝑠𝑖
hm= 𝑝𝑠𝑖
0.434 𝑥 0.8
𝑓𝑡 𝑜𝑖𝑙

hm= -6.44 ft oil

𝑙𝑏
(c) A- gas (w= 0.04 𝑓𝑡 3
B- water
Y= 15 in.
Z= 5 in.

At right leg

P2= wBz
𝑝𝑠𝑖 5
P2= 0.434 𝑓𝑡 𝐻 x 12 ft H2O
2𝑂

P2= 0.181 psi

At left leg:

P2= Pm + wAy
𝑙𝑏 1 𝑓𝑡 2 5
P2= Pm + 0.04 x x ft
𝑓𝑡 3 144 𝑖𝑛2 12

P2= Pm +0.000347 psi

Equating:

Pm= 0.181 – 0.000347

Pm= 0.180653 psi

𝑃𝑚
hm=
𝑤

0.18065 𝑝𝑠𝑖
hm= 𝑙𝑏 1𝑓𝑡2
0.04 ( )
𝑓𝑡3 144 𝑖𝑛2

hm= 650 ft of gas

6
27
In fig. B, find the pressure head at m in feet of fluid A when:

(a) Fluid A is water, fluid is mercury, z= 15 in., y=30 in.

(b) Fluid A is sea water (sp gr 1.03), fluid B is bromoform (sp gr 2.87) z=12 in, y= 8 ft
Solution:

(a) B- Hg z= 15in
A- H2O y= 30 in

At right leg

PL= wBz
𝑝𝑠𝑖 15
PL= 0.434 x 13.6 𝑓𝑡 𝐻𝑔 x 12 ft Hg

PL= 7.38 psi

At left leg

Pm= PL + wAy
𝑝𝑠𝑖 30
Pm= 7.38 psi + 0.434 x ft H2O
𝑓𝑡 𝐻2 𝑂 12

Pm= 8.465 psi

𝑃𝑚 8.465 𝑝𝑠𝑖
hm= 𝑤
= 𝑝𝑠𝑖
0.434
𝑓𝑡 𝐻2 𝑂

hm= 19.5 ft of H2O

(b) B- bromoform (sp gr 2.87)

 A- Seawater (sp gr 1.03

At right leg
𝑝𝑠𝑖
PL= 0.434 (2.87) 𝑓𝑡 𝐵𝑟 x 1 ft Br

PL= 1.246 psi

AT left leg

Pm= PL + wAy
𝑝𝑠𝑖
Pm= 1.246 + 0.434 (1.03) 𝑓𝑡 𝑠𝑤 x 8 sw

Pm= 4.826 psi

4.826 𝑝𝑠𝑖
hm= 𝑝𝑠𝑖
0.434 𝑥 1.03
𝑓𝑡 𝑠𝑤

hm= 10.8 ft sea water

11
27
In fig. F, fluids A and C are air, fluid B is water, z= 14in, find the gage pressure at m and absolute
pressure assuming standard atmospheric conditions.
Given:

A &C – air

B – H2O

z= 14 in.

Required:

Pm (gage and abs)

Solution:

At middle leg

P2 – P1 = wBz  1

At left leg

Pm – P1 = wAy  2

Equating 1 and 2:
P-P2 = wAy - wBz

P2 = 0, contact with atmosphere

wA = 0 for air

.: Pm= -wBz
𝑝𝑠𝑖 14
Pm= -0.434 𝑓𝑡 𝐻 x 12 ft H2O
2𝑂

Pm= -0.506 psig

Pabs= Pg + Patm

At standard conditions,

Patm= 14.7 psia

Pabs= -0.506 + 14.7

Pabs= 14.194 psia