What pressure is exerted at the bottom of a tube of mercury 15cm high?
To determine the pressure exerted at the bottom of a tube of mercury, you can use the concept of hydrostatic pressure. The hydrostatic pressure at a certain depth in a fluid is given by the equation:
P = ρgh
where P represents the pressure, ρ is the density of the fluid, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height or depth of the fluid column.
In this case, you're looking for the pressure at the bottom of a mercury column that is 15cm high. The density of mercury (ρ) is approximately 13,600 kg/m³, and the acceleration due to gravity (g) is approximately 9.8 m/s².
To use this equation, we need to convert the height given in centimeters to meters. Since 1 meter is equal to 100 centimeters, we can divide 15 cm by 100 to get 0.15 meters.
Let's substitute the values into the equation:
P = (13,600 kg/m³) * (9.8 m/s²) * (0.15 m)
P = 2,646 N/m²
So, the pressure exerted at the bottom of the tube of mercury that is 15 cm high is 2,646 N/m², also known as 2,646 pascals (Pa).