F1-12 Hydrostatic Pressure
The Hydrostatic Pressure accessory has been designed to determine the static thrust exerted by a fluid on a submerged surface and enables comparison of the measured magnitude and position of this force with simple theory. A fabricated quadrant is mounted on a balance arm, which pivots on knife edges. The knife edges coincide with the centre of the arc of the quadrant. This means that when the quadrant is immersed, the only force that gives rise to a moment about the knife edges is the hydrostatic force acting on the end face of the quadrant.
Description
The Hydrostatic Pressure accessory has been designed to determine the static thrust exerted by a fluid on a submerged surface and enables comparison of the measured magnitude and position of this force with simple theory.
A fabricated quadrant is mounted on a balance arm which pivots on knife edges. The knife edges coincide with the centre of the arc of the quadrant. This means that when the quadrant is immersed, the only force that gives rise to a moment about the knife edges is the hydrostatic force acting on the end face of the quadrant.
The balance arm incorporates a hanger for the weights supplied and an adjustable counterbalance.
This assembly is mounted on top of an acrylic tank which may be levelled by adjusting screwed feet. Correct alignment is indicated on a circular spirit level mounted on the base of the tank. An indicator attached to the side of the tank shows when the balance arm is horizontal. Water is added to the tank via a flexible tube and may be drained through a valve in the side of the tank.
The water level is indicated on a scale on the side of the quadrant.
Technical Specifications
Tank capacity: 5.5l
Distance between suspended mass and fulcrum: 275mm
Cross-sectional area of quadrant (toroid): 7.5 x 10-3m2
Total depth of completely immersed quadrant: 160mm
Height of fulcrum above quadrant: 100mm
Features & Benefits
- To determine the hydrostatic thrust acting on a plane surface immersed in water when the surface is partially submerged or fully submerged
- To determine the position of the line of action of the thrust and to compare the position determined by experiment with the theoretical position
Length: 0.435m
Width: 0.13m
Height: 0.30m
F1-12
