One pound per square inch will support a column of water that is...

One pound per square inch can support a column of water that is approximately 2.31 feet high. This relationship can be derived from the properties of hydrostatics and the specific weight of water.

To understand why this is the correct answer, it's essential to consider the weight of water and how pressure is expressed in a fluid. The specific weight (weight per unit volume) of water is about 62.4 pounds per cubic foot.

Using the formula for pressure in a fluid, which is defined as pressure (P) = weight density (γ) × height (h), we can rearrange it to find height:

h = P / γ

Given that 1 PSI equals 2.31 feet of water pressure, if you set the pressure at 1 PSI and the specific weight of water at 62.4 lbs/ft³, you reorganize the equation to find that one PSI of pressure will support a water column that is 2.31 feet high. This is a standard conversion in fluid mechanics and helps in understanding how pressure and height relate in liquids.

This understanding is crucial in fields like civil engineering, hydrology, and environmental science, where accurately calculating water pressure and column heights can influence design and safety considerations.