What is Hydrostatic pressure?

Hydrostatic pressure is the push that water gives when it’s sitting still and deep.

Imagine you're filling up a tall glass with water, the more water you add, the harder it pushes on the bottom of the glass. That's hydrostatic pressure at work! It’s like stacking blocks one on top of the other: each layer adds a little more push.

The deeper you go underwater, the more layers of water are pushing down on you. Think about diving into a pool, when you’re just under the surface, it feels light, but if you go all the way to the bottom, it feels like something is squeezing you from above. That’s because hydrostatic pressure increases with depth, just like stacking more blocks makes the push stronger.

Think of a soda bottle, when it's full and sealed, the water inside pushes against the cap. If you open it quickly, the soda rushes out! This is similar to how hydrostatic pressure works in lakes, oceans, or even your bathtub, the deeper the water, the stronger the push.