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Pressure
Pressure
Pressure is defined as the force acting normally per unit area.
(Here, the word "normally" means perpendicularly.)

The SI unit of pressure is Pascal (Pa). 1 Pa is eaual to1 newton
per metre
2
(N/m
2
).
Factors that affect the pressure acting on a surface.
Magnitude of the force.
The larger the force, the higher the pressure.

Contact area.
The larger the contact area, the lower the pressure.

Examples of application of high pressure are:
a. Sharp Knife
b. Ice-Skate
c. Sole of shoes with spike
Examples of application of low pressure are
a. Foundation of Building
b. Snow Shoes
c. Tyre of Tractor
d. Feet of Elephant

Note

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Liquid Pressure

Pressure in Liquids
1. Pressure in liquid is owing to the weight of the
liquid acting on the surface of any objects in the
liquid.
2. Pressure of a liquid is directly proportional to
a. the gravitational field strength
b. the depth
c. density of the liquid.
Formulae:

Pressure caused by a liquid
P = hg
Pressure in a liquid
P = hg + P
atm


U-Tube
Usually, a U-tube is used to compare and measure density
of liquids.

The density of the 2 liquids is related by the equation:


Application of Liquid Pressure
1. Dam
2. Submarine
3. Measuring Blood Pressure
4. Intravenous Transfusion
5. Water Tower

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Gas & Atmospheric Pressure
Q: Explain how gas pressure is produced in a closed
container?
A:
Gas molecules in the container are in constant
and random motion.
As a result, the gas molecules collide on the
inner wall of the container.
After colliding on the wall, the gas molecules
bounce off, and the direction change creating a
change of momentum to the molecule of the gas.
The change of momentum produces a force on
the wall.
The force per unit area is the pressure on the
wall.
Atmospheric Pressure
1. On the surface of the earth, there is a thick
layer of gas called the atmosphere. The
atmosphere consists of various types of gas
called the atmospheric gas.
2. The atmospheric gases collide on the surface
of the earth and hence exert a pressure on the
surface of the earth, called the atmospheric
pressure.
3. The atmospheric pressure can be measured in
the unit of atm, mmHg or Pa. The atmospheric
pressure at sea level is taken to be 1 atm,
which is approximately 760 mmHg or 101,000
Pa.
Characteristics of
Atmospherics Pressure
Decreases with altitude
The atmospheric pressure changes accordingly to the altitude. Altitude is
the height above sea level. The greater the altitude, the lower the
atmospheric pressure.
Act equally in all direction
The atmospheric pressure acts on every object in
the atmosphere. It acts equally in all direction.
Atmospheric pressure is ~ 100,000Pa at sea level
On the surface of the earth, the atmospheric pressure
can be as high as 101,000 Pa.
Proof of Existence of Atmospheric Pressure
The existence of the atmospheric pressure can be proved
by the following experiments.
a. Crushing can experiment
b. Water cover with cardboard does not flow out
c. Magdeburg Hemisphere
Instruments Used to Measure Atmospheric Pressure
Atmospheric pressure can be measured by either
a. a simple barometer,
b. a Fortin barometer
c. an Aneroid barometer.
Unit Used to Measure Atmospheric Pressure
1. Pascal (Pa)

2. Standard
Atmospheric
Pressure (atm)

3. mmHg (also
known as torr)

1 Pa = 1 N/m
2

1 atm = Atmospheric Pressure at
sea level ( = 101,325 Pa)


1 mmHg = 1/760 atm (roughly
equal to the liquid pressure
exerted by a millimetre of
mercury). In SPM, usually we use
the unit cmHg, instead of mmHg

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Gas & Atmospheric Pressure
Simple Barometer
































2 Cases
No air trapped in the tube Some air trapped in the tube
Pressure at A = x cmHg
Atmospheric pressure = h cmHg
Pressure at A = x cmHg + P
gas

Atmospheric pressure = h cmHg + P
gas


Characteristics of the Mercury Barometer


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Application of Atmospheric Pressure

































Instruments Used to Measure Gas Pressure
The pressure of the gas in a container can be measured
by using
a. Bourdon gauge
b. Manometer
P
gas
= P
atm
+ P
liquid
.

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Pascals Principle
Pascal's principle states that in a
confined fluid, an externally
applied pressure is transmitted
uniformly in all directions.

Pascal's principle is also known as
the principle of transmission of
pressure in a liquid.

Experiment
When the plunger is pushed in, the water
squirts equally from all the holes. This
shows that the pressure applied to the
plunger has been transmitted uniformly
throughout the water.
Hydraulic System

A hydraulic system applies Pascal's principle in its
working mechanism. It can be used as a force
multiplier.
According to Pascals principle,

Change of Oil Level in a Hydraulic System

In the diagram to the left, when piston-X is pressed
down, piston-Y will be push up. The change of the piston
levels of the 2 pistons is given by the following equation:




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Archimedes Principle
Archimedes Principle

1. Archimedes Principle states that when a body
is wholly or partially immersed in a fluid it
experiences an upthrust equal to the weight of
the fluid displaced.
2. Upthrust/Buoyant force is an upward force
exerted by a fluid on an object immersed in it.

F = Upthrust/Buoyant Force
= Density of the liquid
V = Volume of the displaced liquid
g = Gravitational field strength

Revision Note:
Density = mass per unit volume


Principle of Floatation

F = W
1. The principle of floatation states that when an
object floats in a liquid the buoyant
force/upthrust that acts on the object is equal
to the weight of the object.
2. If the weight of the object > upthrust, the
object will sink into the fluid.
Application of Archimedes Principle
1. Plimsoll Line
2. Airship
3. Hot Air Balloon
4. Hydrometers
5. Submarine

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Bernoullis Principle






Liquids flow from places with higer pressure to places
with lower pressure.
Q: Explain why the water level at B is the lowest.
A:
The pressure at B is the lowest because the liquid flow the
fastest at B. Therefore, the water level is the lowest at B.


Gases flow from places with higer pressure to places with
lower pressure.
Q: Explain why the water level at B is the highest.

A:
The pressure at B is the lowest because the gas flow the
fastest at B. Therefore, the atmospheric pressure will push he
water to the highest at B.


Bernoullis Principle
Bernoulli's Principle states that as the speed of a moving fluid (liquid or gas)
increases, the pressure within the fluid decreases.



Venturi Effect
The Venturi effect is the fluid pressure
that results when an incompressible
fluid flows through a constricted
section of a pipe.