1

B An elephant weighing 200kN

PRESSURE standing on an area of 0.2 m2.
C A girl of weight 0.5 kN wearing
Pressure is the force applied per unit area. stiletto-heeled shoes standing on an
area of 0.0002m2.
5. What is the pressure 100 m below the
surface of sea water of density 1150 kg/m3?
6 At a weather station the pressure is found
to be 100 000 Pa while the average density
of air is found to be 1.25 kg/m3. Calculate
the average depth of the air above the
The SI units of pressure are Pascals [Pa]. One weather station.
Pascal is equal to one Newton per square meter (1
Pa = 1N/m2).
Atmospheric Pressure
This is the pressure due to the weight of the
atmosphere on earth. The atmospheric pressure at
Examples of the effects of pressure are:
sea level is about 1.0 x 105 Pa (100 000 Nm-2). We
 Stiletto-heeled shoes are likely to mark
do not feel this pressure because it is balanced by
floors,
our blood pressure.
 A knife is often sharpened before use,
 A car with tyres that have a small surface Effects Of Atmospheric Pressure
area easily sinks in sand or mud.  Bleeding: If the atmospheric pressure is
 Astronauts wear space suits when on smaller than the blood pressure nose
mission. These provide pressure to balance bleeding may occur. This is common
body pressure. during very hot days as well as at a high
altitude.
Pressure in Fluids  Collapsing Can: If air is removed from a
can using a vacuum pump, the wall of the
The pressure in a fluid depends on can collapses as air inside the can is
 depth of the liquid gradually removed. The same effect can be
 density of the liquid seen when using a drinking straw on mini-
 acceleration due to gravity juice packaged drink.
 Magdeburg Hemispheres: If two
P= ρgh hemispheres are fitted together and air
Where removed, it becomes very difficult to
ρ =density of fluid separate the hemispheres.
g = acceleration due to gravity  Drinking Straw: Atmospheric pressure
h = depth of the fluid. helps you to push the drink up as you suck
using a straw.
Classwork  Rubber Sucker: When a rubber sucker is
pressed against a smooth surface, air is
1. Calculate the pressure if a 150N force is removed. The atmospheric pressure pushes
exerted on a surface area of 0.5m2. and holds the cup against the surface.
2. A concrete block of mass 90 kg and a Suction cups are used to lift metal sheets,
square base of side 2 m is resting on the glass panes or holders for towels and coats.
ground. What is the pressure it exerts on  Siphoning water: when siphoning water
the ground? from a large tank to a smaller one,
3. A pressure of 10 Pa acts on an area of atmospheric pressure helps you by pushing
3.0m2. What is the force acting on the area?
the water up the pipe.
4. Which of the following will damage a
wood-block floor that can withstand a pressure
of 2000 kPa ?
A A block weighing 2000kN standing
on area of 2 m2.
Physics notes: PRESSURE leemok productions 2021©
 2

Measuring Atmospheric Pressure

Atmospheric pressure can be measured using a
barometer. Types of barometers include
 Simple Mercury Barometer
 Aneroid Barometer
 Fortin’s Barometer

Simple Mercury Barometer

This instrument is used to measure atmospheric In figure (b), a gas supply is connected to the
pressure. It consists of a cylindrical tube filled manometer. If the gas pressure is greater than
with mercury which is then inverted into a atmospheric pressure it increases the pressure at A
mercury bath. A small amount of the mercury which causes level A to go down while level B
flows into the bath but most remains in the tube. rises. At equilibrium the pressure at A must equal
Atmospheric pressure acting on the surface of the to the pressure at C since they are both at the same
mercury in the mercury bath supports the mercury level.
column in the tube. The
pressure at Y due to mercury column XY is equal Thus the gas pressure at A, PA is equal to the
to the atmospheric pressure. pressure at C, PC. (PA = PC.)

But PC is equal to the pressure at B, PB

(atmospheric pressure) + the pressure due to
mercury column BC (gh).

Therefore the gas pressure PA is given by,

PA = PB + gh

Where h = barometric height-height of the column

BC
 = density of liquid in u-tube
g = acceleration due gravity
PB = atmospheric pressure
The height h is directly proportional to the
atmospheric pressure and as such is used as a unit Classwork
of measuring pressure. The height h is about 760 7. In a simple mercury barometer, the tube
mm (0.76 m) mm at sea level. Thus 760 mm of supports 73cm of mercury. What is the
mercury is equal to 1 atmosphere (1 atm). atmospheric pressure in Pascal’s? Density
of mercury is 13 600 kg/m3
U tube manometer 8. What would be the height of a water
A u-tube manometer is used to measure gas barometer if atmospheric pressure is 1 x
pressure. It consists of a u-tube filled with 105pa and the density of water is 1.0 x 103
mercury. In figure (a), the level of the liquid in kg/m3
both arms of the u-tube is the same since only 9. In a manometer used to measure gas
atmospheric pressure is acting on the liquid in the pressure, the gas supports a 100 mm of
u-tube. (the gas has not been connected yet.) The mercury column, calculate the gas
pressures at A and at B are the same and are equal pressure. Atmospheric pressure is 760mm
to atmospheric pressure. Hg.
10. The pressure at the base of a mountain is
105 000 Pa while the pressure at the
mountain top is 15 000 Pa. If the average
density of air is 1.25 kg/m3, calculate the
height of the mountain.

Physics notes: PRESSURE leemok productions 2021©

 3

Weather Maps
Atmospheric pressure and other atmospheric
conditions such as temperature, humidity and
cloud pattern can be used to predict weather. Such
conditions can be plotted on a map to form a
weather map.

An isobar is a line on a weather map that joins

places with the same atmospheric pressure.
Pressure on a weather map is quoted in pressure
units called millibars.

1 Bar = 100 000 Pa  1 atm (1 Bar =

1000 Millibars)

Cyclone
A cyclone is a region where the atmospheric
pressure decreases as you approach the centre of
the region. i.e it has low pressure at the centre.

Wind blows spirally from a high to a low pressure

region. Cyclones are characterised by wet, windy
weather. The closer the isobars the stronger the
wind and chances of rain. Examples of cyclones
include whirlwinds, typhoons, hurricanes,
tornadoes, willi-willies etc.

Anticyclone
An anticyclone is a region with high pressure at
the centre.

It is characterised by dry dense air.

Physics notes: PRESSURE leemok productions 2021©