Pressure
Lesson Objectives
1. Define pressure as force per unit area; recall and use the
equation p = F / A
2. Recall and use the equation for the change in pressure
beneath the surface of a liquid ∆p = ρg∆h
Pressure, p
Pressure is defined as force per unit area.
It is a scalar quantity.
pressure = force
area
p=F
A
units:
force, F – newtons (N)
area, A – metres squared (m2)
pressure, p – pascals (Pa) or (N/m2 )
also:
force = pressure x area
F
and:
area = force
pressure
p A
Note:
1 Pa is the same as 1 newton per square metre (N/m2)
Question 1
Calculate the pressure exerted by a force of
200N when applied over an area of 4m2.
p=F/A
= 200N / 4m2
pressure = 50 Pa
Question 2
Calculate the force exerted by a gas of pressure
150 000 Pa on an object of surface area 3m 2.
p=F/A
becomes:
F=pxA
= 150 000 Pa x 3 m2
force = 450 000 N
Question 3
Calculate the area that will experience a force of
6000N from a liquid exerting a pressure of 300kPa.
p=F/A
becomes:
A=F/p
= 6000 N ÷ 300 kPa
= 6000 N ÷ 300 000 Pa
area = 0.02 m2
Complete:
force area pressure
40 N 8 m2 5 Pa
500 N 20 m2
20 25 Pa
400 N 5 m2 80 Pa
20 N 2 cm2 100 kPa
6N 2 mm2 3 MPa
Pressure exerted by a block question
The metal block, shown opposite, has a
weight of 900 000N. Calculate the maximum
and minimum pressures it can exert when
placed on one of its surfaces.
2m
Maximum pressure occurs when the block is
placed on its smallest area surface (2m x 3m)
p=F/A
5m
= 900 000N / 6m2 3m
Maximum pressure = 150 000 Pa
Minimum pressure occurs when the block is
placed on its largest area surface (3m x 5m)
p=F/A
= 900 000N / 15m2
Minimum pressure = 60 000 Pa
Pressure examples
pressure in Pa
or N/m2
Space (vacuum) 0
Air pressure at the top of Mount 30 000
Everest
Average pressure of the Earth’s 101 325
atmosphere at sea level at 0°C
Typical tyre pressure 180 000
Pressure 10m below the surface of 200 000
the sea
Estimated pressure at the depth 41 000 000
(3.8km) of the wreck of the Titanic
Why off-road vehicles have
large tyres or tracks
In both cases the area of contact with the ground is maximised.
This causes the pressure to be minimised as:
pressure = vehicle weight ÷ area
Lower pressure means that the vehicle does not sink into the ground.
Pressure in liquids and gases
The pressure in a
liquid or a gas at a
particular point
acts equally in all
directions.
At the same depth in the
liquid the pressure is the
same in all directions
The pressure in a
liquid or a gas
increases with
depth
The pressure of the liquid
increases with depth
Pressure, height or depth equation
pressure difference = height × density ×
g
p=h×ρ×g
units:
height or depth, h – metres (m)
density, ρ – kilograms per metres cubed (kg/m3)
gravitational field strength, g – newtons per
kilogram (N/kg)
pressure difference, p – pascals (Pa)
Question 1
Calculate the pressure increase at the
bottom of a swimming pool of depth 2m.
Density of water = 1000 kg/m3
g = 10 N/kg
pressure difference = h × ρ × g
= 2m x 1000 kg/m3 x 10 N/kg
pressure increase = 20 000 Pa
Question 2
At sea level the (a) p = h × ρ × g
atmosphere has a
density of 1.3 kg/m3. becomes:
(a) Calculate the h = p / (ρ × g)
thickness (height) of = 100 kPa / (1.3 kg/m3 x 10 N/kg)
atmosphere required = 100 000 / (1.3 x 10)
to produce the
average sea level = 100 000 / 13
pressure of 100kPa. height = 7 692 m (7.7 km)
(b) Why is the actual
height much greater? (b) The real atmosphere’s density
decreases with height.
g = 10 N/kg The atmosphere extends to at
least a height of 100 km.
Choose appropriate words to fill in the gaps below:
Pressure is equal to _______
force divided by ______.
area
Pressure is measured in _______
pascal (Pa) where one pascal is the
same as one newton per ________
square metre.
atmosphere at sea-level is
The pressure of the Earth’s ___________
approximately 100 000 Pa.
depth below the surface of liquid.
Pressure increases with ______
water the pressure increases by about one
Under _______
ten
atmosphere for every ______ metres of depth.
WORD SELECTION:
square depth force atmosphere
water area ten pascal
