volume_mute
What height of mercury column corresponds to a pressure of 15 lb/in²?
publish date: 2026/05/19 19:27:58.004642 UTC
volume_mute
A barometer is taken to a location where the atmospheric pressure is measured as 15 lb/in². The weight density of mercury is 0.49 lb/in³. What height of mercury column (in inches) would this atmospheric pressure support? (Use the formula: pressure = depth × weight density)
Correct Answer
30.6 inches
Explanation
Using the formula pressure = depth × weight density, we rearrange to solve for depth: depth = pressure / weight density = (15 lb/in²) / (0.49 lb/in³) = 30.6 inches. This means the atmospheric pressure of 15 lb/in² is equivalent to the pressure at the bottom of a 30.6-inch column of mercury.
Reference
Basic Physics: A Self-Teaching Guide