Water and oil are poured into communicating vessels. The height of the water column is 16 cm.

Water and oil are poured into communicating vessels. The height of the water column is 16 cm. What is the height of the oil for the liquids to be in equilibrium?

Given:

h1 = 16 centimeters – the water level in one of the knees of the communicating vessels;

ro1 = 1000 kg / m3 (kilogram per cubic meter) – water density;

ro2 = 800 kg / m3 – oil density.

It is required to determine h2 (meter) – the oil level in the other knee of the communicating vessels.

We translate the units of measurement of length into the SI system:

h1 = 16 cm = 16 * 10-2 = 16/100 = 0.16 meters.

Then, according to the law of communicating vessels:

P1 = P2;

ro1 * g * h1 = ro2 * g * h2, where g = 9.8 Newton / kilogram;

ro1 * h1 = ro2 * h2;

h2 = ro1 * h1 / ro2 = 1000 * 0.16 / 800 = 160/800 = 0.2 meters.

Answer: The level of the oil column is 0.2 meters (20 centimeters).