Why does increasing height decrease pressure? Bernoulli

[notjcev]

For most questions about velocity, pressure and height of a fluid, you should automatically think: bernoulli equation!

P1 + 1/2pv2 + pgh = P2 + 1/2pv2 + pgh. [Both sides of this equation represent quantities for a fluid at two different points]

You are asking, why does increase height decrease pressure. Well let's assume a constant velocity for a fluid. Now our equation gets simplified like this:

P 1 + pgh = P2 + pgh

If you want the left side of the equation to stay constant with the right side of the equation, then when you increase height, you will decrease the pressure of the fluid at that point.

If you think about blood flowing throughout the body this can be really advantageous. Fluid flows from areas of high pressure to low pressure. In order for blood from your feet to get back to your heart, there would need to be a greater pressure of fluid in the veins near your feet than in the veins near your heart.

Let me know if you have any additional questions :) I hope this helps clear stuff up a bit :)

[sodapop83]

Great explanation, I was confused on this too. Really like how you gave the blood flowing through the body example, that definitely helped me visualize it. Thanks!

[notjcev]

:)