pascal's law

English - English

Definition of pascal's law in English English dictionary

The law that states that a confined fluid transmits externally applied pressure uniformly in all directions; the basis of hydraulics

or Pascal's principle In fluid mechanics, the statement that in a fluid at rest in a closed container, a pressure change in one part is transmitted without loss to every portion of the fluid and to the walls of the container. The principle was first stated by Blaise Pascal, who also discovered that the pressure at a point in a fluid at rest is the same in all directions, and that the pressure would be the same on all planes passing through a specific point

pressure applied anywhere to a body of fluid causes a force to be transmitted equally in all directions; the force acts at right angles to any surface in contact with the fluid; "the hydraulic press is an application of Pascal's law

Etymology

() From Blaise Pascal French scientist and philosopher