Gauge pressure plus atmospheric pressure equals _________ pressure.

The correct answer is absolute pressure because it is defined as the total pressure exerted by a fluid, taking into account both the gauge pressure (the pressure relative to the ambient atmospheric pressure) and the atmospheric pressure itself. Absolute pressure provides a complete picture of the pressure in a system, as it measures the total pressure regardless of atmospheric influences.

To elaborate, gauge pressure measures only the pressure above atmospheric pressure, while atmospheric pressure remains constant at sea level (approximately 14.7 psi). By adding atmospheric pressure to gauge pressure, you arrive at the absolute pressure, which is crucial for various applications in engineering, such as in the calculation of pressure in systems during various operational conditions.

In contrast, relative pressure typically refers to the difference in pressure between two points or systems and is not a standard term used to describe absolute pressure. Static pressure pertains to the pressure exerted by a fluid at rest and does not consider any dynamic effects or fluid motion. Dynamic pressure is associated with the movement of fluid, being the pressure that a fluid possesses due to its velocity. These definitions help to reinforce why absolute pressure is the right choice in this context.