Hydrostatic Force

Hydrostatic force is the force exerted by a fluid (typically a liquid) at rest on a surface.  This force acts perpendicular to the surface in contact with the fluid and depends on the fluid's density, the depth of the surface below the fluid's free surface, and the area of the surface.

Examples

Dams  -  The water behind a dam exerts a hydrostatic force on the dam wall.  The deeper the water, the greater the force.
Submerged Objects  -  Objects like boats or submarines experience hydrostatic forces from the surrounding water.

 

Hydrostatic Force Formula
\( HF \;=\;  ( rho \; g \; h - p_a ) \; A \)
Symbol	English	Metric
\( HF \) = Hydrostatic Force	-	\(N\)
\( \rho \)   (Greek symbol rho) = Fluid Density	-	\(kg \;/\; m^3\)
\( g \) = Gravitational Acceleration	-	\(kPk\)
\( h \) = Fluid Depth	-	\(m\)
\(p_a  \) = Atmospheric Pressure	-	\(kPa\)
\( A \) = Total Area	-	\(m^2\)