Pressure is force acting perpendicularly per unit area.

Force( N )
Pressure is the effect of force on a unit area Pressure=
Area(m2)
F
P= Where F is the weight
A
The SI unit is Newton per square meter ( N/m2) or Pascal (Pa).
Other units of pressure include mmHg, cmHg and atmospheres (atm).
Pressure in solids is affected by:
i) The area of penetration ~The smaller the area the more the pressure.
ii) Force applied ~The larger the force the more the pressure.
Due to these factors, that is why in daily life we experience;
a) A sharp pin exerts more pressure and penetrates deeper to a card board
than a blunt pin.

Sharp pin Blunt pin

b) Tractors and caterpillars have very wide tyres, the tyres have very large
area hence exerts less pressure and hence can’t sink in to the soil.
c) Webbed birds have wide area hence apply less pressure and prevent them
from sinking in muddy waters.
Force( N )
Pressure is the effect of force on a unit area Pressure=
Area(m2)
F
P= Where F is the weight
A
The SI unit isNewton per square meter ( N/m2)orPascal (Pa).
Other units of pressure includemmHg, cmHgandatmospheres (atm).

EXAMPLE
1. A box of weight7,200N is placed on a table. If the area of contact in the
table is 1.8m2. Calculate the pressure it exerts on the table.
2. The figure below shows a block of wood plank of mass 600kg and
dimension 5m by 2m by 3m
3m

2m

5m
(i) Calculate the maximum pressure it can exert.
(ii) Calculate the minimum pressure it can exert.

FORM 1 NOTES: P R E S S U R E Pg1

 3. A block of weight480N measures 6cm by 5cmby 4cm. Calculate
i) The maximum pressure it can exert.
ii) The minimum pressure.
4. A box of mass 360kg measures 60cm by 30cm by [Link]
(i) The Maximum pressure it can exert.
(ii) TheMinimum pressure it can exert.
5. A man of mass 80kg exerts a pressure of 200,000Pa on the ground while
standing on both feet.
i) Calculate the area of each foot.
ii) How much pressure would he exert if he stands on one foot.
6. A pick – up carrying stones weighs 20,000N. The weight is evenly spread
across the four tyres. The area of contact of each tire with the ground is
0.025m2. Calculate the pressure exerted by each tire on the ground.
7. The total weight of a car is 30,000N. If the pressure exerted by each tyre
on the ground is 500,000N/m2, calculate the area of each tyre in contact
with the ground.

PRESSURE IN FLUIDS.
A fluid includes both liquids and gases. A fluid exerts pressure on all sides.
FACTS ABOUT PRESSURE IN LIQUIDS
1. Pressure in liquids increases with density.
2. Pressure in liquids is transmitted equally in all direction.
When a liquid is poured into a set of connected tubes of various shapes, it finally
settles at the same level in each of the tube.

3. Pressure in liquids increases with depth.

Water is filled in a tall container with holes A, B and C first closed. When the
holes are opened the water comes out as follows.

C
B
A

Hole A is deepest and hence jets out the furthest, then B and C jets a short
distance. This shows that the bigger the depth, the higher the pressure. The fact
that pressure increases with depth is applied in;
(i) Construction of Dams~Dams are built with much thicker walls
at the bottom than at the top so that they can be able to withstand
the pressure of water near the bottom without breaking.

Water
Wall

FORM 1 NOTES: P R E S S U R E Pg2

 (ii) Construction of water tanks~Water tanks are built
as high as possible so that water can jet out at high pressure.
FLUID PRESSURE FORMULA.
Pressure in fluids depends only on
i) The depth of the fluid(height h)~ the deeper the liquid the higher the
pressure.
ii) The density of the fluidρ~ the denser the fluid the higher the pressure.
iii) The force of gravity(g).

Hence
Pressure = height x density x gravity
P = h ρg whereh is height in meters and
ρis the density in kg/m3
EXAMPLE
1. A submarine is 30m below the surface of the water of density
1000kg/[Link] the pressure on the submarine due to the water.
2. A fish is 40m below sea water of density 1.02g/cm3. Calculate the
pressure acting on the fish due to the water.
3. The mercury column in a container is760mm high. If density of mercury is
13600 Kg/m3. Calculate the pressure at the bottom of the container.
4. The reading of mercury barometer is at 70cm. What is the pressure at the
place in N/m2. (Take density of mercury is 13.6 g/cm3).
5. The figure below shows a tank of height 8m filled with ethanol and oil that
are immiscible. Ethanol has a height of 6m and a density of 800kg/m3
while oil has a height of 2m and a density of 600kg/m3 as shown below.
Calculate the pressure exerted at the base of the tank by the two liquids.

Oil 2m

Ethanol 6m

6. A water tank of height 3.6m is ¾ full. A thin metal plate of area 3m2 is
resting flat at the bottom of the tank. If the density of water is
1000kg/m3. Determine the
(i) Pressure acting on the plate due to the water.
(ii) Force exerted on the metal plate due to the water pressure

PASCALS PRINCIPLE.
It states that “Pressure applied at one point in an enclosed fluid is
transmitted equally to all parts of the fluid”.

FORM 1 NOTES: P R E S S U R E Pg3

 Application of Pascal’s principle
It is applied in
a) Hydraulic lift.
b) Hydraulic Press.
c) Hydraulic brake system.
a) Hydraulic lift /press.
It consists of a small piston of cross – section area A1and a larger piston of
cross – section area A2

Force F1 LOAD Force F2

Small piston Large piston

A1
A2
Liquid

When the small piston is pushed downward with a force F1, it exerts a pressure
P1on the liquid. This pressure is transmitted equally throughout the liquid up to
the larger piston at a pressure P2and force F2.
But since pressure is transmitted equally then pressure at the small piston is
equal to pressure at the larger piston ie.
P1=P2 F2
P 2=
A2
Then
Therefore
F1
P 1= F1 F2
A1 =
A1 A2
And
A small force applied on the small piston produces a much bigger force on the
larger [Link] larger force produced can be used to
(i) Lift cars in garages using Hydraulic lifts.
(ii) Compress certain material using a Hydraulic press eg cotton
bales into smaller sizes.
(b) Hydraulic brake system.
When the pedal is pushed, pressure is generated in the master cylinder; This
pressure is transmitted to the slave cylinder;
Return spring
Brake drum

Brake shoe

Brake fluid

Brake pedal Slave pistonA2

Master cylinderA1
When the brake pedal is pressed it exerts pressure on the brake fluid in the
master cylinder. This pressure is transmitted equally to the slave cylinder. This

FORM 1 NOTES: P R E S S U R E Pg4

 causes the pistons of the slave cylinder to open the brake shoe and hence the
brake lining presses the drum which stops the vehicle.

Properties of a suitable hydraulic fluid.

- Should not be compressible.
- Should not cause rusting.
- Should have a low freezing point a high boiling point.
EXAMPLES
1. The area of larger piston of a hydraulic press is 12m2 and that of the other
piston is 2m2. A force of 600N is produced on the larger piston. How much
force is applied on the smallerpiston?

F 600 N

A1 = 2m2 A2 = 12m2 2

2. Figure shows a hydraulic press system. A force of 200N is applied at the small
[Link] the weight of the Bale supported by the large piston.

200 N A Bale

Area = 180cm2
50 cm2 2

Liquid

3. The figure below shows a hydraulic brake system of a car . When a force of
200N is applied on the master cylinder the slave piston experience a force of
8000N. Calculate the area of the master cylinder.
400 cm2

Brake pedal

Master piston Slave piston

4. The figure below shows a hydraulic brake system of a car. When a force of
400N is applied on the master cylinder the slave piston experience a force of
3,500N. The master piston has an area of 8cm2

Brake pedal

Master piston
Slave piston
Calculate
i) The area of the slave piston.
ii) The pressure exerted on the slave piston.
PRESSURE TRANSMITTED EQUALLYTHRUA U–TUBE
When two liquids of diff densities are put into two diff arms of a U-tube, they
settle at diff heights.
Liquid 2
FORM 1 NOTES: Liquid P1R E S S U R E Pg5
The liquid with a higher density presses down more and hence has a smaller
height. The pressure exerted at the point A and B is the same ie P1 = P2
Pressure at A is P1 =h1 ρ1 g
Pressure at B is P2 =h2 ρ2 g
Therefore
h1 ρ1 g = h 2 ρ2 g
EXAMPLES
Mercury
1. The figure below show a U-tube Ethanol
filled with two liquids, X and Y.
Liquid X has a density of 68 cm 4cm
800Kg/m3while Y has a
density of 1200Kg/m3.
Determine the height h of
liquid.

X 4. The figure below show a U-tube

Y filled with water and oil of
30 cm densities1000kg/m3and
h 600Kg/m3 respectively.
Determine the height h of liquid
Oil
Water
2. The U – tube below is filled with
80cm
two liquids A and B. Liquid B h
has a density of 1600kg/m3.
Calculate the density of liquid
A. Mercury

A 5. The figure below shows Hare’s

B apparatus used for comparing
50cm liquid [Link] the
20cm
height h given density of
liquidxis 0.75g/cm3and that of
water is 1g/cm3.
Suck
3. The U – tube below is filled with
ethanol and mercury. Ethanol
has a density of 0.8g/cm3.
Calculate the density of liquid
16 cm
mercury. h
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE.
Water Liquid X

The earth’s surface is surrounded by a thick layer of air.

FORM 1 NOTES: P R E S S U R E Pg6

Atmospheric pressure is the pressure exerted by weight of the air.
This pressure is exerted on all objects and it acts from all directions.

Effect of atm pressure.

(i) The crushing can experiment.
Put some water in a thin walled can. Boil the water in the container until steam
drives out all the air that is inside the can. Close the can and allow it to cool.

Steam

Steam pressure

Atm Pressure Atm Pressure Atm Pressure

Boiling Water

When the can is cooled, the steam condenses creating a vacuum inside the
container. This lowers the pressure inside the container and hence the higher
atmospheric pressure from outside crushescan.

(ii) Glass tumbler and a cardboard

Fill a glass tumbler with water to the brim and place a cardboard on top to
cover its mouth. Then slowly turn the glass in all directions.

Water Glass
Cardboard

Atm Pressure

Since atmospheric pressure act in all directions the card board does not fall
and the water does not pour down.

DIFFERENCE BTN MERCURY AND WATER BAROMETER

When two long narrow glass tubes are inverted into water and mercury, the atm
pressure presses the liquids downwards making them to rise up their tubes to
different levels.
Since water is less dense, it rises up the most in its tube to about10m while
mercury being very dense (heavy) rises up just a smaller height of about 0.76m
(760mm).

Vacuum
Space
Vacuum
Space
10 m of H2O 760mmHg
Atm Pa Atm Pa

FORM 1 NOTES: P R E S S U R E Pg7

Mercury
At sea level the atmospheric pressure supports a column of 760mm of mercury
(Hg) or 10m of water.

NOTE: When measuring pressure, mercury barometer is preferred to

water because it is denser and hence it requires a shorter tube.
The atmospheric pressure varies with the height above the sea level depending
with the thickness of air in the atmosphere. It is highest at sea level and lowest
on highlands.
Considering the height of mercury as 760mmHg (0.76mHg) and that the
density of mercury is 13600kg/m3
Then atmospheric pressure hρg
=
= 0.76 x 13600 x 10
Pa= 103,360 N/m2.
For an object being acted on by both Pa and liquid pressure, then

Total pressure = Pa + h ρ g
EXAMPLES
1. A submarine is 40m below sea water of density 1000kg/m3. If the
atmospheric pressure at that place is 103,000Pa calculate the total
pressure on the submarine
2. A submarine is 30m below sea water of density 1g/cm3. If the
atmospheric pressure at the place is 102,000Pa, calculate the total
pressure acting on the submarine.
3. A submarine is20m below sea water of density 1.02g/cm3. If the
atmospheric pressure at the place is 760mmHg. Find the total pressure
acting on the submarine (Take density of mercury =13600kg/m3)
4. The height of mercury column in a barometer at a place is 64cm. What
would be the height of a column of paraffin in the barometer at the same
place given density of mercury =13600kgm-3 and density of paraffin =
800 kg /m3).

DETERMINING THE HEIGHT OF A MOUNTAIN

The pressure at the bottom of a mountain is higher than the pressure at the top.
This pressure diff due to air is equal to the height of the mountain ie
Pressure diff due to air (height of mountain) = Pressure diff due to mercury
h a ρa g = h m ρm g
Where ha is the height of the mountain
ρa is the density of air
hm is the pressure diff due to mercury.
ρm is the density of mercury
EXAMPLES
1. The pressure at the bottom of a mountain is 760mmHg while at the top is
510mmHg. Determine the height of the mountain. (Take density of mercury is
13600kg/m3and density of air = 1.25kg/m3)
2. The readings of the barometer at the bottom and top of a certain mountain
were 720mmHg and 595mmHg respectively. Given that the density of air

FORM 1 NOTES: P R E S S U R E Pg8

 is equal to 1.25 Kg/m3, estimate the height of the mountain. (Take the
density of mercury to be 13600Kg/m3)
3. The barometric height at sea level is 75cmHg while that at a point on a
highland is 25cmHg. What is the altitude of the point? Take density of
mercury = 13600 Kg/m3and density of air as 1.25Kg/m3.

MEASUREMENT OF PRESSURE
Pressure can be is measured using U- Tube manometer, Mercury Barometer,
Pressure gauges.
U- TUBE MANOMETER.
This is an instrument used to measure fluid pressure. One arm is connected to
gas supply while the other arm is exposed to atmospheric pressure.

Atm pressure (Pa)

Tap

Gas supply

h Gas pressure

Liquid

The pressure of the gas is given by;

Gas pressure = atm pressure + pressure due to height of the liquid

Pg = Pa + h ρg
EXAMPLES
1. The figure below shows a gas manometer connected to a gas a supply. If
the atm pressure at the place is 104,000 Pa and the density of mercury is
13,600kg/m3, calculate the pressure of the gas from the supply.

Gas supply

50cm

Mercury

2. The manometer below contains a liquid K of density 1600kg/m3and is

connected to a gas tap. Determine the pressure of the gas.
Pa = 102,000 N/m2
Gas supply

20cm

Liquid K

FORM 1 NOTES: P R E S S U R E Pg9

3. The figure below shows a mercury manometer of density 13,600kg/m3.

Gas supply
Mercury

80mm

If the atm pressure is 760mmHg, calculate.

(i) The pressure of gas in mmHg.
(ii) The pressure of gas in N/m2.
4. The figure below shows an open-ended manometer connected to a gas
supply.

Gas supply

14cm Mercury

If the atm pressure is 76cmHg, and density of mercury =

13,600kg/[Link].
(i) The pressure of gas in cmHg.
(ii) The pressure of gas in N/m2.
5. The figure below shows a mercury manometer with some gas trapped on
one limb while the other limb is open.

Trapped Gas
40mm

Mercury

If the atm Pressure is 760mmHg, and density of mercury =

13.6g/[Link]
(i) The pressure of gas in mmHg.
(ii) The pressure of gas in N/m2.

APPLICATION OF ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

[Link] straw
- When a straw is sucked, the air pressure inside reduces below Atm pressure.
- Atm pressure forces the liquid into the mouth through the straw.
This idea is also applied in sucking medicine through the syringe.

[Link] point cover has a smallhole–The hole allows air to enter in to

the ink tube and exert atm pressure for the ink to flow out.

FORM 1 NOTES: P R E S S U R E Pg10

[Link] bicycle pump.
Barrel
Piston

Valve (washer)

When the piston is pulled outwards, air pressure inside the barrel reduces below
atm pressure. Air from outside is drawn into the barrel thru the washer.
When the piston is pushed inwards, the washer presses tightly against the walls
of the barrel and the enclosed air is compressed inside the barrel.
When the pressure of the compressed air becomes greater than that of air in the
tyre, the tire valve opens and air is forced into the tyre.

[Link] siphon.
This is a flexible tube used to transfer liquid from one container to another.
The liquid to be transferred has to be at a higher level than the other
container where it is being put.
Atm pressure
Tube

The tube is first filled with the liquid. After this the atm pressure acting on the
liquid forces the liquid to run continuously into the other cylinder.
However when the level of the liquids in the two cylinders becomes equal, the
liquid can no longer flow through the tube since the atm pressure acting on both
liquids is the same.
A siphon is used in automatic flushing units eg in urinals.

[Link] pump.
Piston
Barrel

Valve2 Storage tank

Valve1

Pa Pa
FORM 1 NOTES: P R E S S U R E Pg11
Water
 - When the piston is pulled up, air pressure in the barrel reduce below atm
pressure; valve 1 opens due to high atmospheric pressure on the water
while valve 2 closes due to its weight and that of the water above it.
- The atm pressure pushes water up past valve1into the barrel.
- When the piston is pushed down, valve1 closes due its weight and water
pressure, the water opens valve2 and flows into the Storage tank.

Limitation of a lift pump

It cannot raise water from a depth beyond 10m deep because the atm pressure
can only support a water column of about 10m.

[Link] pump.
It is used to lift water to heights above 10 m.
Piston
Barrel

Valve 2
Storage tank

Valve 1

Water

- When the piston is pulled upwards valve1 opens while valve 2 closes.
- Water enters the barrel thru valve1.
- When the piston is pushed downwards valve1 closes while valve2 open.
- Water is forced in the chamber C and the process continues.
Advantages of the force pump over the lift pump
(i) It enables a continuous flow of water
(ii) It does not depend on the atm pressure and hence can
raise water from a depth beyond 10m

FORM 1 NOTES: P R E S S U R E Pg12