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Pressure
Question Paper 3

Level IGCSE
Subject Physics
ExamBoard CIE
Topic General Physics
Sub-Topic Pressure
Paper Type (Extended) Theory Paper
Booklet Question Paper 3

Time Allowed: 80 minutes

Score: /67

Percentage: /100
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1 (a) A student carries out an experiment to find the relationship between the pressure p and the
volume V of a fixed mass of gas. The table contains four of her sets of measurements.

p / kPa 250 500 750 1000

V / cm3 30.0 15.2 9.8 7.6

(i) Use the data in the table to suggest the relationship between the pressure and the
volume in this experiment. Explain how you reach your conclusion.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[2]

(ii) State the property of the gas, apart from the mass, that remains constant during the
experiment.

.......................................................................................................................................[1]

(b) A lake is 5.0 m deep. The density of the water is 1000 kg / m3.

(i) Calculate the pressure at the bottom of the lake due to this depth of water.

pressure = ...........................................................[2]

(ii) A bubble of gas escapes from the mud at the bottom of the lake and rises to the surface.

Place one tick in each row of the table to indicate what happens to the volume, the mass
and the density of the gas in the bubble. Assume that no gas or water vapour enters or
leaves the bubble.

increases stays the same decreases

volume of bubble

mass of gas in bubble

density of gas in bubble

[2]

[Total: 7]
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2 (a) A water tank has a rectangular base of dimensions 1.5 m by 1.2 m and contains 1440 kg of
water.

Calculate

(i) the weight of the water,

weight = ............................................... [1]

(ii) the pressure exerted by the water on the base of the tank.

pressure = ............................................... [2]

(b) Fig. 5.1 shows two water tanks P and Q of different shape. Both tanks are circular when
viewed from above. The tanks each contain the same volume of water. The depth of water in
both tanks is 1.4 m.

1.4 m

P Q

Fig. 5.1

(i) The density of water is 1000 kg / m3. The pressures exerted by the water on the base of
the two tanks are equal.

Calculate this pressure.

pressure = ............................................... [2]

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(ii) Equal small volumes of water are removed from each tank.

State which tank, P or Q, now has the greater water pressure on its base. Explain your
answer.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 7]
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3 Fig. 2.1 shows a uniform, rectangular slab of concrete ABCD standing upright on the ground. The
slab has height 0.60 m, width 0.30 m and mass 18 kg. A force of 40 N acts horizontally to the left
at B.

A B
40 N

0.60 m

D C
0.30 m

Fig. 2.1

(a) (i) Calculate the weight W of the concrete slab.

W = ........................................................ [1]

(ii) The thickness of the slab is 0.040 m.

Calculate the pressure exerted by the slab on the ground.

pressure = ........................................................ [2]

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(b) (i) On Fig. 2.1, draw and label an arrow to show the weight W of the slab acting at its centre
of mass. [1]
(ii) Calculate
1. the moment of the 40 N force about point D,

moment = ........................................................

2. the moment of W about point D.

moment = ........................................................
[3]

(iii) The ground is rough so that the slab does not slide.
State and explain what happens to the slab as the horizontal force at B is gradually
increased.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[2]

[Total: 9]
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4 Fig. 1.1 shows a side view of a large tank in a marine visitor attraction.

sea-water

viewing
panel
M

tank

Fig. 1.1 (not to scale)

The tank is 51 m long and 20 m wide. The sea-water in the tank is 11 m deep and has a
density of 1030 kg / m3.

(a) Calculate the mass of water in the tank.

mass = ................................................. [3]

(b) The pressure at point M, halfway down the large viewing panel, is 60 kPa more than
atmospheric pressure.

Calculate the depth of M below the surface of the water.

depth = ................................................. [2]

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(c) The viewing panel is 32.8 m wide and 8.3 m high.

Calculate the outward force of the water on the panel. Assume that the pressure at M is
the average pressure on the whole panel.

force = ................................................. [2]

[Total: 7]
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5 A large crane has a mass of 8500 kg. Fig. 4.1 shows the crane on a muddy building-site.

lifting-arm

hook
axle
caterpillar tracks

Fig. 4.1

(a) Calculate the weight of the crane.

weight = .................................................. [1]

(b) The crane rests on two caterpillar tracks each of which has a contact area with the
ground of 3.4 m2.

(i) Calculate the pressure that the crane exerts on the ground.

pressure = .................................................. [2]

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(ii) As the crane driver walks towards the crane, he starts to sink into the mud. He lays
a wide plank of wood on the mud and he walks along the plank.

Explain why he does not sink into the mud when he walks along the plank.

..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................. [2]

(c) When the crane lifts a heavy load with its hook, the load exerts a moment on the
lifting-arm about the axle.

(i) Explain what is meant by moment of a force.

..................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................. [1]

(ii) Despite the moment exerted on the lifting-arm, the crane remains in equilibrium.

State the two conditions required for any object to be in equilibrium.

1. ..............................................................................................................................

2. ..............................................................................................................................
[2]

[Total: 8]
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6 (a) A stationary body is acted upon by a number of forces. State the two conditions which
must apply for the body to remain at rest.

1. ......................................................................................................................................

2. ......................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) Fig. 3.1 shows a device used for compressing crushed material.

380 mm 120 mm

lever arm
plunger
20 N

cylinder

cross-sectional crushed material

F
area A

Fig. 3.1

The lever arm rotates about the hinge H at its right-hand end. A force of 20 N acts
downwards on the left-hand end of the lever arm. The force F of the crushed material on
the plunger acts upwards. Ignore the weight of the lever arm.

(i) Use the clockwise and anticlockwise moments about H to calculate the upward
force F which the crushed material exerts on the plunger. The distances are shown
on Fig. 3.1.

force F = ................................................. [3]

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(ii) The cross-sectional area A of the plunger in contact with the crushed material is
0.0036 m2. Calculate the pressure exerted on the crushed material by the plunger.

pressure = ................................................. [2]

[Total: 7]
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7 The front views of two cars are shown in Fig. 5.1, to the same scale.

family car racing car

Fig. 5.1

(a) Suggest which car has the greater stability, and give two reasons.

car .............................................................................................................................................

reason 1 ....................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

reason 2 ....................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

(b) The cars have the same weight.

Study Fig. 5.1 and suggest why the stationary racing car exerts less pressure on the ground.

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(c) The family car’s tyres each have an area of 0.012 m2 in contact with the ground.

The weight of the car and its contents is 9600 N.

Calculate the pressure exerted by the car on the ground.

pressure = ......................................................... [2]

[Total: 5]
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8 Fig. 2.1 shows a steam safety valve. When the pressure gets too high, the steam lifts the
weight W and allows steam to escape.

0.2 m

pivot
W

force of
steam

Fig. 2.1

(a) Explain, in terms of moments of forces, how the valve works.

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................... [2]
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(b) The moment of weight W about the pivot is 12 N m. The perpendicular distance of the
line of action of the force of the steam on the valve from the pivot is 0.2 m.

The area of the piston is 0.0003 m2.

Calculate

(i) the minimum steam force needed for the steam to escape,

force = ................................................ [2]

(ii) the minimum steam pressure for the steam to escape.

pressure = ................................................ [2]

[Total: 6]
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9 A mass of 3.0 kg accelerates at 2.0 m/s2 in a straight line.

(a) State why the velocity and the acceleration are both described as vector quantities.

..........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(b) Calculate the force required to accelerate the mass.

force = ………………. [2]

(c) The mass hits a wall.

The average force exerted on the wall during the impact is 120 N.
The area of the mass in contact with the wall at impact is 0.050 m2.
Calculate the average pressure that the mass exerts on the wall during the impact.

pressure = ………………. [2]

[ Total : 5 ]
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10 Fig. 2.1 shows a reservoir that stores water.

20 m
valve
water

dam

exit pipe

Fig. 2.1

(a) The valve in the exit pipe is closed. The density of water is 1000 kg/m3 and the
acceleration of free fall is 10 m/s2.
Calculate the pressure of the water acting on the closed valve in the exit pipe.

pressure = ……………………...[2]

(b) The cross-sectional area of the pipe is 0.5 m2.

Calculate the force exerted by the water on the closed valve.

force = ……………………...[2]

(c) The valve is then opened and water, originally at the surface of the reservoir, finally
flows out of the exit pipe. State the energy transformation of this water between the
surface of the reservoir and the open end of the pipe.

..........................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................[2]

[ Total : 6]