PEAZIT Aha card
Go straight to resources ↓Hydrostatic pressure: vertical depth matters
In a stationary liquid of constant density, pressure increases with vertical depth: Δp = ρgh. Container shape is absent from this relation. Total pressure also includes surface pressure.
| Observation | What it means |
|---|---|
| h = 1 m, water, g = 10 m/s² | Δp = 10,000 Pa |
| h = 2 m, same water | Δp = 20,000 Pa |
One worked example
- ρ = 1000 kg/m³, h = 3 mUse g = 10 m/s².
- Δp = 1000 × 10 × 3Multiply density, g and depth.
- Δp = 30,000 PaThis is additional pressure relative to the surface.
Watch out: Distinguish pressure increase from total pressure. Depth is vertical, not distance along a sloping wall.
Goal, prerequisites and card origin
What you will learn: Calculate the pressure increase ρgh.
What you need first: Density and pressure.
An original PEAZIT working card. Independent expert review and effectiveness testing have not yet taken place. · v1
Reference for the underlying principle ↗Show connections
In a stationary liquid of constant density, pressure increases with vertical depth: Δp = ρgh. Container shape is absent from this relation. Total pressure also includes surface pressure.