IV. 



LIQUIDS. 



ECTfON I, 



HYDROSTATICS. 



215. Incompressibility of Liquids. Liquids 

 are nearly incompressible. A pressure of 15 pounds to 

 the square inch compresses distilled water only 2 6 1 - 

 part of its volume ; it compresses 

 mercury only one-tenth as much. 

 This virtual in compressibility of 

 liquids is of the highest practical 

 importance. 



V216. Transmission of 

 Pressure. Fluids can trans- 

 mit pressure in every direc- 

 tion, upward, downward, and 

 sidewise at the same time. 



(a.) This property of liquids may be 

 illustrated by the apparatus repre- 

 sented in Fig. G3. The globe and 

 cylinder being filled with water and 

 the several openings in the globe 

 FIG. 63. closed by corks, a piston is pushed 



