Pressure Slides

Unit 7:Pressure
At the end of this unit, a student should be able to
9 define the term pressure in terms of force and area

9 recall and apply the relationship pressure = force /area to new situations or to solve related
problems
9 describe and explain the transmission of pressure in hydraulic systems with particular
reference to the hydraulic press
9 recall and apply the relationship pressure due to a liquid column = height of column x
density of the liquid x gravitational field strength to new situations or to solve related
problems
9 describe how the height of a liquid column may be used to measure the atmospheric
pressure
9 describe the use of a manometer in the measurement of pressure difference.
1. Pressure
• Pressure is the force acting normally
per unit area
• Pressure = Force
F
Area
P A
• P = F/A
• SI Unit: Pascal (Pa) or
Newton per square metre (N/m2)
Example 1
• The weight of a man is 600 N.
Calculate the pressure he exerted on
the floor if he is wearing a pair of
track shoes and the area of contact of
each shoe with the ground is 0.02 m2.
• Pressure = F/A
= 600/(2x0.02) =15 000 Pa
Example 2
• A rectangular block of dimension 50cm by

30cm by 20 cm has a mass of 4 kg.
Calculate the maximum and minimum
pressure it can exert on the floor.
20 cm
30 cm
50 cm
30 cm
20 cm
50 cm
Example 2
• Weight of block
• = mg = 6 x 10 = 60 N
• Maximum pressure exerted
• = F/A(min)
• = 60/(0.2 x 0.3) = 1000 Pa
50 cm
30 cm Example 2
20 cm
• Minimum pressure exerted

• = F/A(max)
• = 60/ (0.5 x 0.3)
• = 400 Pa
2. Liquid Pressure
• The pressure inside a volume of

liquid depends on the depth below
the surface of the liquid.
• The deeper it is, the greater the
weight of the overlying liquid, and
thus the greater the pressure.
Example 1: Liquid pressure
increases with depth
Example 2: Liquid pressure
increases with depth
• The thickness of the wall of dam
increases downwards because the
deeper it is, the greater the water
pressure.
land Dam
water
Liquid Pressure: Formula
• The pressure at any point in a liquid
at rest is given by:
• Pressure = hpg
• where h = height of liquid in metre
• p = density of liquid kg/m3
• g = gravitational acceleration in
N/kg or m/s2
Proof
Area A
height h
Density p
• Consider a cylindrical container of

of area, A, filled with liquid of
density, p, to a height, h
Proof
• Volume of liquid = Ah
• Weight of liquid
• = mg = Vpg = Ahpg
Area A
• Pressure on base
height h Density p
• = Force/ Area
• = Ahpg/ A = pgh
Proof
• Try to prove using a cuboid….

Liquid Pressure
• Pressure, P = hpg
• Pressure at any point in a liquid is
independent of the cross-sectional
area
Liquid Pressure
• A liquid always find its own level

• (Liquid will flow to equalise any
pressure difference)
Liquid Pressure
• All points on the same level in a

liquid have the same pressure
Liquid Pressure
liquid
• Pressure at any one depth in a

liquid acts equally in all directions
Water
tank Example 1
12 m
• The water level in a water tank is

12 m above the tap. What pressure
forces water out from the tap?
(Density of water = 1000 kg/m3).
Water
tank Example 1
12 m
• Pressure at the tap is due to the

water in the pipe above it.
• Pressure = hpg
• = 12 x 1000 x 10 = 120 000 Pa
0.2 m Example 2
0.5 m object
• A regular shaped object is immersed in

water of density 1000 kg/m3.
• (a) Calculate the water pressure at the
top and the bottom of the object.
• (b) What is the resultant pressure on
the object?
0.2 m
Example 2
0.5 m object
(a)
Pressure exerted by water at the top surface of the object = h1pg
=0.2 x 1000 x 10
= 2000 Pa
0.2 m
0.5 m object Example 2
• Pressure exerted by water at the bottom surface of the object = h2pg

= 0.5 x 1000 x 10
= 5000 Pa
0.2 m
0.5 m object Example 2
• Resultant pressure on the object

= 5000 - 2000
= 3000 Pa (The object experiences an
upward force)
Sometimes we call this the upthrust.
3. Atmospheric Pressure
• The atmosphere is the layer of air
surrounding the Earth. It extends
up to 1000 km above the Earth
surface.
• The weight of the air exerts a
pressure on the surface of the
Earth. This pressure is called the
atmospheric pressure
Atmospheric Pressure
• The atmospheric pressure is

about 1.03 x 105 Pa or 105 Pa
• or 10 m of water
• or 0.76 m of mercury (760 mmHg or
76 cm Hg)
Hg here is the chemical symbol for mercury just
like H is the chemical symbol for hydrogen
Simple Mercury Barometer
• The atmospheric pressure can be

measured using a simple mercury
barometer
vacuum
760 mm
Reservoir
of
mercury
Simple Mercury Barometer
• Height of mercury column for the

mercury barometer:
• Pressure = hpg
• 103 000 Pa = h x 13 600 kg/m3 x 10 N/kg
• h = 0.76 mHg
Water Barometer
• Water can be used in a barometer

instead of mercury. However, the glass
tube used need to be much longer.
Why?
Find out what will be the height if water is used

instead of mercury for 1 atmosphere.
[Hint: you need to know the density of pure water.]
A
Mercury Barometer
0.2 m
B 0.76 m
C
0.3 m
D
• Determine the pressure at points A,

B, C and D
A
Mercury Barometer
0.2 m
B 0.76 m
C
0.3 m
D
• Pressure at A = 0 mmHg
• Pressure at B = 0.2 mHg
• = hpg = 0.2 x 13600 x 10
• = 27200 Pa = 27.2 kPa
A
Mercury Barometer
0.2 m
B 0.76 m
C
0.3 m
D
• Pressure at C = 0.76 mHg

• Pressure at D = (0.76 + 0.3) mHg
• = 1.06 mHg
4. Pressure Difference
• Manometer
• A manometer consists of a U-tube
containing liquid and it is used to
measure differences in gas or
liquid pressure To gas
supply
X Y
Mercury
Manometer
To gas
supply
X Y
Mercury
• The height difference XY tells how

much the gas pressure is different
from atmospheric pressure
To gas
Example 1
Y
supply
12 cm
X Z
Mercury
• There is no pressure difference

between X and Z
• Pressure difference between XY
= 12 cm Hg
To gas
Example 1
Y
supply
12 cm
X Z
Mercury
• If atmospheric pressure is 75 cm Hg
• Then Gas Pressure = pressure of X or Z
= (75 + 12) cm Hg
= 87 cm Hg
methylated
spirit
water
Example 2
15 cm
12 cm
B A
mercury
• A U-tube with some mercury at the bottom

is set up vertically and 12 cm of water is
added into one arm of the tube. Methylated
spirit is then added carefully into the other
arm of the U-tube until the mercury levels
are the same in both arm.
methylated
spirit
water
Example 2
15 cm
12 cm
B A
mercury
• It is observed that the level of methylated

spirit is higher. What is the density of
methylated spirit if the methylated spirit
column is 15 cm high? (Density of water =
1000 kg/cm3)
Example 2
• Let
• hw = height of water column from level A
• hm = height of methylated spirit column
methylated
from level B
spirit
• PA = pressure at level A
• PB = pressure at level B water
15 cm
• Pa = atmospheric pressure 12 cm
B A
• pw =density of water
• pm = density of methylated spirit mercury
Example 2
methylated
• PA = Pa + hwpwg spirit
• PB = Pa + hmpmg
water
• But PB = PA 15 cm
12 cm
• Pa + hmpmg = Pa + hwpwg B A
• 0.15 x pm x g = 0.12 x 1000 x g
• 0.15 pm = 0.12 x 1000 mercury
• pm = 800 kg/m3
5. Hydraulic Systems
• Hydraulic system work by using
liquid pressure. They make use of
two properties of liquid
1. Liquids are incompressible.
2. If pressure is applied to a trapped
liquid, the pressure is transmitted
to all parts of the liquid.
Simple Hydraulic Systems
Applied force
Output force
small area
piston
Large area
piston
Hydraulic Systems
• When a force of 20 N is applied to

a small piston of 0.01 m2, the
pressure exerted on the liquid is
given by
• Pressure = Force/ Area
= 20/ 0.01 = 2000 Pa
Hydraulic Systems
• This pressure is transmitted to the

larger piston. If the larger piston has an
area of 0.1 m2, the force on the large
piston is
• Force = pressure x area
= 2000 x 0.1
= 200 N

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Unit 7:Pressure

9 define the term pressure in terms of force and area

• A rectangular block of dimension 50cm by

• Minimum pressure exerted

• The pressure inside a volume of

• Consider a cylindrical container of

• Try to prove using a cuboid….

• A liquid always find its own level

• All points on the same level in a

• Pressure at any one depth in a

• The water level in a water tank is

• Pressure at the tap is due to the

• A regular shaped object is immersed in

• Pressure exerted by water at the bottom surface of the object = h2pg

• Resultant pressure on the object

• The atmospheric pressure is

• The atmospheric pressure can be

• Height of mercury column for the

• Water can be used in a barometer

Find out what will be the height if water is used

• Determine the pressure at points A,

• Pressure at C = 0.76 mHg

• The height difference XY tells how

• There is no pressure difference

• A U-tube with some mercury at the bottom

• It is observed that the level of methylated

• When a force of 20 N is applied to

• This pressure is transmitted to the

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