A tank 4m long ,3m wide and 2m deep is filled to the brim with paraffin of density 800kg/mg (a) calculate the pressure on the base of the tank (b) calculate the force acting on the base

1 answer

Given the dimensions of the tank, we can calculate the volume of the tank first:

Volume = length × width × depth = 4m × 3m × 2m = 24 m³.

The mass of paraffin can be calculated using the density:

Density = mass/volume
Mass = Density × volume = 800 kg/m³ × 24 m³ = 19200 kg

The weight of the paraffin can be calculated as:

Weight = mass × gravitational acceleration (g) = 19200 kg × 9.81 m/s² ≈ 188352 N.

The pressure on the base of the tank can be calculated using the formula:

Pressure = Force/Area. Since the weight of the paraffin is acting on the base, the force here is its weight.

The area of the base is given by length × width = 4m × 3m = 12m².

Pressure = Force/Area = 188352 N / 12 m² ≈ 15696 Pa. (a)

To calculate the force acting on the base, we can use the formula:

Force = Pressure × Area = 15696 Pa × 12m² ≈ 188352 N. (b)

So, the pressure on the base of the tank is about 15.696 kPa, and the force acting on the base is about 188.352 kN.