Question

If there are two water tanks of different cross-sectional areas, both filled with equal volumes of water:

i. Which tank experiences more pressure at its bottom? Why?
ii. Which tank would experience more thrust (force) if both were filled with water? Why?

Answer 1

The pressure at the bottom of both tanks is the same, but Tank A will experience a greater thrust due to its larger cross-sectional area.

Step-by-step explanation:

The pressure at the bottom of a tank is determined by the depth of the fluid and the density of the fluid. Since both tanks are filled with the same volume of water, the depth of the fluid is the same in both tanks. Therefore, the pressure at the bottom of both tanks is the same.

However, the force experienced by the tanks is different. The force, or thrust, on an object in a fluid is equal to the pressure multiplied by the area. Tank A has a larger cross-sectional area than Tank B, so it will experience a greater thrust.