The principles of hydromechanics (II)

HYDROSTATIC

• Archimedes' principle

It states that a fluid exerts a large force (lift) on an object placed in the fluid. The force is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object. The principle, discovered by the Greek mathematician Archimedes, explains, for example, why boats float on water and balloons float in the air.

• Pascal's law

Pascal's Law, formulated by the French philosopher Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), applies to any fluid at rest in a container. The law states that pressure applied to the fluid at any point will be transmitted uniformly and with the same intensity to every point in the fluid. In the case of a gas, an increase in pressure causes compression (uniform decrease in volume), however, fluids are not compressible. An increase in pressure at any point in a contained liquid will result in an increase in pressure at all points on the walls of the container; the volume of the liquid remains the same. Pascal's Law, with very important applications in hydraulics, explains the action of a hydraulic piston and other similar devices.

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Source: howstuffworks.com

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