Demo: pascalsvases

Simon Fraser University

SFU.ca Burnaby

Surrey

Vancouver

Demo

What it does:

Colored water in the Pascal vase rises to the same level in all four tubes though the tubes are of different shapes.

Concepts demonstrated:

Hydrostatic pressure is independent of the shape of the vessel.

Equipment: Pascal's vases, colored water, a video camera and a backdrop.
Setup time: Short
Difficulty: Easy
Visibility: High. With a video camera, this demonstration is appropriate for large lecture halls.
Classroom assembly:
- Add water to one tube of Pascal's vase. The water will distribute through the tubes so that the height of the water is the same in all four tubes.

References:

Disclaimer: Don't attempt this at home.

Credits: Prepared by Jeff Rudd, 1999
Revised by Laura Schmidt, 2007