Two vertical tubes of equal cross-sectional areas are filled with liquids to heights producing atmospheric pressure at their bottoms. One liquid is water and the other is mercury. Both liquids have equal
A)volumes.
B)densities.
C)weights.
D)viscosity.
E)none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correct answer is that both liquids have equal weights. This is because the pressure exerted by a liquid column on the bottom of a container depends on the height of the liquid column, the density of the liquid, and the acceleration due to gravity. Since both liquids exert atmospheric pressure at their bottoms and have the same cross-sectional area, the weight of the liquid column (which is the product of its volume, density, and gravitational acceleration) must be the same for both to exert the same pressure, despite the differences in their densities and volumes.

Two Vertical Tubes of Equal Cross-Sectional Areas Are Filled with Liquids