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Physics Form 4
Chapter 3: Forces and Pressure
Understanding Pressure

Understanding Pressure in
Liquids
Understanding Gas Pressure
and Atmospheric Pressure

Pascal’s Principle

Archimedes’ Principle

Bernoulli’s Principle

Prepared by: Sharvinder Singh

 Part 1: Understanding Pressure
 Pressure – perpendicular force acting on a unit area
𝑭
 Formula: 𝑷 =
𝑨
 SI Unit – Pascal (Pa)
 Example 1
The wind pressure on the wall is
200Pa. If the wall has an area of
8m2, what is the force on it?
Example 2
The mass of a rectangular block is
400kg. Calculate the minimum and
maximum pressure exerted by the
block on the floor if its dimensions
are 2m x 6m x 3m.
 Example 3
Why is the duck able to move smoothly without its feet being
stuck in the mud, while the hen is unable to do so?

 The webbed feet of duck provide a

large surface area of contact
between the feet and the muddy
ground.
 So, the duck exerts a smaller
pressure on the mud compared to
the pressure exerted by hen.
 Therefore, the duck is able to move
smoothly on the muddy ground
while the hen is unable to do so
 Applications in Daily Life (Small Area, High Pressure)
 Nails, needles and pins have very
sharp ends with very small areas.
When a force is applied to the head
of a nail, the pressure will drive the
sharp end into the wood easily
 The pressure under the studs of
football boot is high enough for it
to sink into the ground to provide
extra grip

 A sharp knife has a very small

surface area on its cutting edge so
that high pressure can be applied in
cutting through material easily
 Applications in Daily Life (Large Area, Small Pressure)

 The skis have large area to reduce

the pressure on the snow so that they
do not sink in too far

 A tractor moving on soft ground has

wide tires to reduce the pressure on
the ground so that they will not sink
to the ground

 A wide shoulder pad of a heavy bag

will reduce the pressure exerted on
the shoulder of the person carrying
the bag
 Part 2: Understanding Pressure in Liquids
 The pressure in a liquid increases
with depth
 Pressure of any points from the
same vertical height is the same
 A liquid with higher density exerts
a higher pressure.
 This is because liquid with a higher
density will have a larger weight

 The pressure at a point in a liquid

act equally in all directions at a
particular depth (same depth)
 Pressure of liquid is independent
on surface area
 Tubes of different shapes and
diameters have the same pressure
at the same depth since the water
levels is the same in each tube
 Pressure in a liquid is affected by
force of gravity
 A liquid with a larger force of gravity
will exhibit a larger pressure if other
factors remains the same.
 This is because higher force of
gravity exerts a higher pulling force
on liquid, hence causing the liquid
becomes heavier
Formula of Pressure in Liquids
 Example 1
If the density of sea water is 1150
kg m-3, calculate the pressure
below 40m of sea water due to the
water alone.
Example 2
The figure shows a cylinder
containing liquid mercury. What is
the pressure caused by the liquid
mercury at the point P?
[ Density of liquid mercury is
1.36 x 105 kg m-3 ]
 Applications

 Dam holds water at high

altitude. The wall of the dam has
to be thicker at the base because
it must withstand the increased
pressure in depths of the water

 Normally a water tank is placed

at higher level so as to supply
water at greater pressure.
 Submarine is built with thick
wall to withstand enormous
pressure at greater depth.

 A patient receiving intravenous

drips of a certain fluid from a
bottle. In order for the fluid to
flow into the vein, the bottle
must be placed at a height above
the injection site. The liquid
solution is at a higher pressure
so it has sufficient pressure to
flow into the veins of the patient.