[ELI5] Can one physically compress water, like with a cyclinder of water with a hydraulic press on the top, completely water tight, pressing down on it, and what would happen to the water?

Question

[ELI5] Can one physically compress water, like with a cyclinder of water with a hydraulic press on the top, completely water tight, pressing down on it, and what would happen to the water?

In: 1967

Answer 1

I mean, you can try.

In engineering contexts, water is generally referred to as “incompressible,” which isn’t to say that it literally can’t be compressed, but that it’s exceptionally difficult to do so.

>and what would happen to the water?

The water would be fine and would escape through the weakest point in the press. The hydraulic press would probably be damaged or destroyed.