PRESSURE (P)/ Pa There are two types of pressure:

1. Pressure in solids. 2. Pressure in liquids. Pressure is measured in Pascal (Pa) or Nm-2. It is defined as the Force (F)/N per unit Area (A)/m2 Perpendicular to that area.

PRESSURE = FORCE (F) AREA (A)/m2 P=F/A PRESSURE IN SOLIDS Pressure is the force (Thrust) acting on unit area. The unit of pressure is the Pascal (Pa) and is equal to a force of one Newton acting over an area of one square meter. 1 Pa = 1N/ 1m2 A Pascal is quite a small pressure; an orange on the hand exerts a pressure of about 1000Pa. The greater the area the area over which a force acts the less is the pressure.

QUESTIONS PRESSURE A. 2m2 B. 100m2 C. 0.5m2 A pressure of 10 Pa acts on an area of 3m2 what is the force acting on the area. A block of concrete weighs 900 N on its base is a square of side 3m. What pressure does the block exert on the area? What is the pressure on a surface on a surface when a force of 50 Newton acts an area of :

FLUIDS PRESSURE A fluid can be either:

1. Liquid. 2. Gas. All liquids have three characteristics: 1. Pressure increases with depth. 2. Liquids find its own level. 3. Pressure increases with density of fluid PRESSURE INCREASES WITH DEPTH

AT THE SAME DEPTH PRESSURE IS THE SAME IN ALL DIRECTIONS

LIQUIDS FIND ITS OWN LEVEL

PRESSURE INCREASES WITH DENSITY OF FLUID Pressure also depends on the density of the liquid. The denser the liquid the greater the pressure. The pressure at any depth can be calculated using the formula: P= gh P: pressure : Density g: Acceleration due to gravity (10 ms-2) h: height The pressure of a liquid does not depend on the shape or surface area of the liquid.

USES OF LIQUID PRESSURE The word Pascal was derived from the French Scientist who discovered pressure applied to a liquid is transmitted in all directions. This is due to the fact that liquids are almost incompressible. Pressure in liquids can be used to work machines such as:

1. Hydraulic jacks. 2. Breaking systems in vehicles. 3. Compactors in garbage trucks. 4. In Cranes and much other powerful equipment. In these machines a small force is applied to a liquid and this force is magnified or made bigger because pressure is transmitted equally in all directions in the liquid ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE We are living under a sea of air called the atmosphere which exerts a pressure on us all (just as the sea squeezes a diver) As we go higher the atmosphere decreases as the amount of air above us decreases. The standard atmospheric pressure is 760 mmHg.

We dont normally feel atmospheric pressure because the amount of pressure exerted on a person is equal to the pressure inside the person.

THREE EXPERIMENTS TO SHOW ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE . A boy drinking soft drink using a straw, It is atmospheric pressure which allows the drink to go into the boys mouth. 2. A cylinder containing mercury turned upside down in a bowl of mercury is held up by atmospheric pressure and its height would vary with weather conditions.

3. If you have a can and air is sucked out by a vacuum it will be crushed due to atmospheric pressure. INSTRUMENTS USED TO MEASURE PRESSURE There are three instruments used to pressure:

1. Bourdon gauge: used to show pressure in gas cylinders and boilers. 2. Manometer: This is U- shaped and may contain water or mercury and its level may change due to different levels of gas. 3. Aneroid barometer: This uses a flexible metal can which has air taken out of it and a strong spring which keeps atmospheric pressure from completely crushing the can as the pressure is squeezing down the can. As the pressure decreases the spring pulls up the can. The small movements are magnified by a pointer. Mountaineers and pilots use it as a altimeter.