Step One: Determine the Volume of Water
The first step in calculating the weight of a body of water is to determine its volume. The volume of water can be calculated using the following formula:
Volume = Length x Width x Depth
For example, if you have a rectangular pool that is 10 meters long, 5 meters wide, and 2 meters deep, the volume of water in the pool would be:
Volume = 10 meters x 5 meters x 2 meters = 100 cubic meters
Step Two: Convert the Volume to Mass
Once you know the volume of the water, you can convert it to mass, or weight, using a simple formula. The weight of the water can be calculated using the following formula:
Weight = Volume x Density x Gravity
Where:
Density is the mass of water per unit volume, which is equal to 1000 kg/m^3
Gravity is the acceleration due to gravity, which is equal to 9.81 m/s^2
For example, if you have a pool that contains 100 cubic meters of water, the weight of the water would be:
Weight = 100 cubic meters x 1000 kg/m^3 x 9.81 m/s^2 = 981,000 Newtons
Step Three: Convert Newtons to Pounds or Kilograms
The final step is to convert the weight of the water from Newtons to pounds or kilograms. The conversion factor for Newtons to pounds is 0.2248, and the conversion factor for Newtons to kilograms is 0.10197.
For example, using the above calculation, the weight of the water in the pool would be:
Weight = 981,000 Newtons x 0.2248 = 220,592.8 pounds
or
Weight = 981,000 Newtons x 0.10197 = 100,000 kilograms
Conclusion
Calculating the weight of a body of water is a simple process that can be done using a few simple calculations. Knowing the weight of water is important for a variety of reasons, including designing structures that can withstand its weight. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily calculate the weight of any body of water.