According to Pascal's Law, how is pressure in a confined fluid at rest transmitted?

• A. Concentrated along one axis
• B. Perpendicular to the surfaces contacted by the fluid
• C. Only to the bottom
• D. Equally in all directions

Answer: (D)

Pressure in a confined, resting fluid is transmitted equally in all directions. This isotropic nature means the pressure at a point has the same magnitude regardless of direction, so the fluid passes the applied pressure uniformly through the entire body and to the container walls. The force the fluid exerts on any surface is perpendicular to that surface, but the overall transmission of pressure itself is equal in all directions.