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Ch 14: Fluids and Elasticity
Chapter 14, Problem 14.12

What is the height of a water barometer at atmospheric pressure?

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Atmospheric Pressure

Atmospheric pressure is the force exerted by the weight of air above a given point. At sea level, this pressure is approximately 101.3 kPa (kilopascals) or 760 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). It plays a crucial role in determining the height of a liquid column in a barometer, as the pressure must be balanced by the weight of the liquid.
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Barometer

A barometer is an instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure. The most common type, the mercury barometer, consists of a glass tube filled with mercury, inverted in a dish of mercury. The height of the mercury column in the tube indicates the atmospheric pressure, with higher pressure resulting in a taller column.
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Hydrostatic Pressure

Hydrostatic pressure refers to the pressure exerted by a fluid at equilibrium due to the force of gravity. In the context of a barometer, the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid column must equal the atmospheric pressure. This relationship allows us to calculate the height of the liquid column, which is directly proportional to the atmospheric pressure acting on it.
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