What is the height of the water column in feet when the pressure gauge at the pump's inlet shows 140 PSIG?

To determine the height of the water column in feet corresponding to a pressure reading of 140 PSIG, you can use the formula that relates pressure to the height of a water column. The equation used is:

[

\text{Height (in feet)} = \frac{\text{Pressure (in psi)} \times 2.31}{\text{Density of water (in lb/ft}^3)}

]

In this scenario, the density of water is commonly accepted as approximately 62.4 lb/ft³.

Since the gauge pressure is given in PSIG, it represents the pressure relative to the atmospheric pressure. However, British Standard adopts the convention where 1 psi can lift a column of water 2.31 feet. Thus, when you convert pressure from PSI to the height of the water column, it is done by multiplying the PSI value by 2.31.

Using the pressure of 140 PSIG:

[

\text{Height} = 140 \times 2.31 = 323.4 \text{ feet}

]

Rounding this figure gives us approximately 323 feet, which closely aligns with the value provided in the correct answer choice. Therefore, the correct answer accurately