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Pressure acts in all directions in fluids.

Fluids are made of a large number of very small particles, much too VISUALIZATION
small to see. These particles are in constant, rapid motion. They bump CLASSZONE.COM

into one another. They bump into the walls of any container that holds Explore how a fluid
produces pressure.
them. They bump into objects in the fluid.
As the particles of a fluid bump into an object in the fluid, they
apply forces to the object. The forces, acting over the objects surface,
exert pressure on the object. When the pressure in a fluid increases, the
particles bump together more frequently. This increases the pressure
on objects in the fluid.
The pressure a fluid exerts on an object in the fluid is applied in
all directions. That is because the particles that make up the fluid can
move in any direction. These particles exert forces as they bump into
objects in the fluid. The picture shows how water exerts pressure on a
diver who is underwater. Notice that the arrows point in different
directions. That is because the water is pressing all around the diver,
not just from above.
check your reading How does understanding particle motion help you to
understand pressure?

Pressure in Fluids
Randomly moving water molecules collide with a diver. The net
force from the many collisions produces the pressure on the diver.

net force (arm)

How does the water exert pressure on the diver?

Which part of the picture shows you this?

Chapter 4: Density and Buoyancy 111