Talk:Pascal's law

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I dont think that this (hydrostatic pressure is due to height of water column) is not what's commonly known as Pascal's Law. Pascal's Law (as I understand) is that force applied to an enclosed fluid is spread as an equal pressure throughout the fluid. ie. the concept behind pistons, syringes, car tyres,... Dougalc 23:57, 21 Oct 2004 (UTC)

• I agree. I googled Pascal's Law and all mentioned the principle you explained above. In fact, Pascal's law and Pascal's principle are supposed to be the same. Bubbachuck 16:03, 7 August 2005 (UTC)
  • The two principles may both be Pascal's Law; they are both foundational priciples for fluid statics and hydrostatics. The "hydrostatic paradox", discovered by Simon Stevin explains that the downward pressure of a liquid is independent of the shape of the vessel, and depends only on its height and base. Pascal discovered his principle by moving a barometer to different elevations in the atmosphere. Often, the hydrostatic paradox is said to be the precursor of Pascal's principle. So they may both be the same principle. The spreading of pressure may be the "higher" principle. Also some state that Pascal's law is Pressure = density * gravity * height. This equation would explain both principles. I am checking on it further. Steven McCrary 19:13, August 7, 2005 (UTC)

OK, here is what I found: Applied Fluid Mechanics, Third Edition, by Mott (New York: Macmillan, 1990) uses the term "Pascal's laws". Fluid Mechanics with Engineering Applications by Daugherty and Franzini (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1977) says, "all points in a connected body of constant density fluid at rest are under the same pressure if they are at the same depth below the liquid surface." So they are the same principle, but could be called principles, if necessary. Steven McCrary 14:55, August 8, 2005 (UTC)

I have added in the alternative formula, although i am not sure how to make the text in the same format as the original formula. --LeakeyJee 05:40, 30 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Pascal's law concept beats me

ok so volume of a liquid has to be conserved (given it is incompressible, non viscous blah blah) but why should the force per unit area be conserved and be the same in all directions? Basically if I just model everything as volume conservation and simply try and say that the liquid "en mass" will try to attain a level of minimal potential energy, I still end up with the same results. However to make the assumption that dF/dA is conserved seems off beat to me —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 220.227.207.194 (talk) 09:29, 5 March 2007 (UTC).