What does pressure in an open container depend solely on?

Pressure in an open container is determined primarily by the depth of the fluid within that container. This relationship is grounded in hydrostatic pressure principles, where pressure increases with the depth of the fluid due to the weight of the fluid above. The equation that illustrates this relationship is:

[ P = \rho gh ]

where ( P ) is the pressure, ( \rho ) is the fluid density, ( g ) is the acceleration due to gravity, and ( h ) is the depth of the fluid.

Essentially, as one moves deeper into a fluid, there is more fluid above, leading to an increase in pressure. This concept is particularly important in various contexts, such as understanding how pressure changes in lakes, oceans, and even in firefighting with water-filled containers or hoses. The other factors, such as volume, temperature, and density, may influence pressure in different scenarios, particularly in closed systems or specific chemical processes, but when it comes to an open container filled with fluid, depth is the sole determinant of pressure.