At a laboratory situated at sea level the atmospheric pressure is given to be

PHYSICS · Multi-part · AP · Physics 1: Algebra-based · Fluids · Fluids

Problem

At a laboratory situated at sea level the atmospheric pressure is given to be 1.013×105 Pa1.013\times10^{5}\,\text{Pa}. A mercury barometer kept in the same laboratory shows a vertical column of mercury. (i) Calculate the height hHgh_{\text{Hg}} of the mercury column. Take ρHg=13.6×103 kg m−3\rho_{\text{Hg}} = 13.6\times10^{3}\,\text{kg\,m}^{-3} and g=9.80 m s−2g = 9.80\,\text{m\,s}^{-2}. (ii) If the mercury were to be replaced by kerosene of density 800 kg m−3800\,\text{kg\,m}^{-3}, determine the height hkeroh_{\text{kero}} of the kerosene column that would balance the same atmospheric pressure. (iii) Comment, with calculation, on the practical difficulties that would arise if kerosene were actually used instead of mercury.

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