How much pressure, in lbs., does one foot of water raise a pressure gauge at the bottom of a vessel?

One foot of water exerts a pressure of approximately 0.433 pounds per square inch (psi) at the bottom of a vessel. This value is derived from the concept of hydrostatic pressure, which states that the pressure at a certain depth in a fluid is proportional to the height of the fluid column above that point, the density of the fluid, and the acceleration due to gravity.

In the case of water, the standard density is roughly 62.4 pounds per cubic foot. The gravitational constant is approximately 32.2 feet per second squared. When calculating the pressure from a column of water, we can derive that:

Pressure (psi) = Height (ft) × Density (lbs/ft³) × g (ft/s²)

For 1 foot of water:

Pressure = 1 ft × (62.4 lbs/ft³) × (1/144 in²/ft²) Converting from square feet to square inches leads to the result of 0.433 psi for every foot of water height.

Thus, a pressure gauge at the bottom of a vessel measuring 1 foot of water would indeed read an increase in pressure of 0.433 lbs., making this the correct answer.