Read the following statements carefully: Statement I: The force exerted by a liquid on the base of a container is always equal to the total weight of the liquid in the container. Statement II: In interconnected vessels of different shapes, a liquid at rest will reach the same horizontal level in all vessels. Statement III: The hydrostatic pressure at a depth h in a liquid is independent of the cross-sectional area of

Step-by-step solution

Let us evaluate each statement individually: Statement I is incorrect. Due to the hydrostatic paradox, the force exerted by a liquid on the base of a container ( F = P A = g h A ) is not necessarily equal to the total weight of the liquid. It is only equal if the vessel is perfectly cylindrical or prismatic. Statement II is correct. In interconnected vessels, the liquid reaches the same horizontal level to ensure the pressure is equal at all points on the same horizontal plane, regardless of the shapes of the indiv