| Comparison aspect | Main idea | Keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Density. | The density of a material depends on the atomic or molecular mass of its particles and on the spacing between them. An object with lower density floats on a liquid with higher density | materialdependsatomicmolecular |
| Pressure in a liquid. | The pressure of the liquid alone at depth h is P = hρg, where g is the acceleration due to gravity. If the free surface is exposed to the atmosphere, the total pressure is P = Pa + hρg. The pressure increases with depth and with the density of the liquid. | alonedepthaccelerationgravity |
| Comparison aspect | Main idea | Keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Manometer. | When the gas pressure P is greater than atmospheric pressure, P = Pa + ρgh. When it is less, P = Pa − ρgh. The pressure difference is ΔP = P − Pa = ρgh, where h is the difference in height between the two liquid surfaces. | pressuregreateratmosphericless |
| Pascal’s principle. | A liquid is nearly incompressible, so an extra pressure ΔP on a piston is transmitted in full to every point of the liquid. The pressure at depth h then becomes P = P1 + hρg + ΔP, where P1 is the pressure at the liquid surface under the piston. If the pressure rises above a certain limit, the container may break. | liquidnearlyincompressibleextra |
| Hydraulic press. | A small force f on a small piston of area a balances a large force F on a large piston of area A when f/a = F/A. The mechanical advantage is η = F/f = A/a. The small piston moves a greater distance than the large piston, since f·y1 = F·y2. | smallforcepistonarea |
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