Hydrostatic Pressure: Interactive Simulation
This simulation was prepared using Mathematica. Download the free CDF player, and then download the simulation CDF file (link given below or click on figure to download). Try to predict the behavior when a parameter changes before using a slider to change that parameter. For these simulations, screencasts are provided to explain how to use them.
Using the concept of hydrostatic pressure for incompressible fluids, determine how changing the height and density of three immiscible fluids changes the hydrostatic pressure.
Try to answer these questions before determining the answer with the simulation. We suggest that you write down the reasons for your answers.
- If the height of the top fluid is increased, how does the pressure at the bottom change?
- If the height of one layer could be increased by 1 m, which layer would you increase to cause a maximum pressure increase?
