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What is Pressure?
Pressure = Force Area
Recall that force is weight of an object
acting over a surface area and this causes
pressure. Hence;
Pressure = Weight Area
Units of Pressure
Pressure is measured in Pascals (Pa).
We sometimes see pressure being
measured in N/m2 or N/cm2
1 Pa is the same as 1N/m2
What is Pressure?
Any object that possesses weight, whether at
rest or not, exerts a pressure upon the surface
with which it is in contact.
The magnitude of the pressure exerted by an
object on a given surface is equal to its weight
acting in the direction perpendicular to that
surface, divided by the total surface area of
contact between the object and the surface.
Sensible shoes?
The force (weight) of our body
pushing down will exert a
pressure.
The surface area of our shoes in
contact with the ground will
affect the pressure.
These stiletto shoes will
concentrate the force over a
small area.
These shoes will give a larger
pressure and would not be
suitable for walking on soft
ground like sand.
Surface area
Nails
Needles
Kitchen knives
Scissors
Drawing pins
Spade
Manometer
With both legs of a U-tube
manometer open to the
atmosphere or subjected to the
same pressure, the liquid
maintains the same level in
each leg, establishing a zero
reference.
Manometer
With a greater pressure
applied to the left side of a Utube manometer, the liquid
lowers in the left leg and
rises in the right leg.
The liquid moves until the
weight of the liquid, as
indicated by h, exactly
balances the pressure applied
at P2.
Atmospheric Pressure
Gas pressure
depends on both
density and
temperature.
Adding air
molecules
increases the
pressure in a
balloon.
Air pressure is
equal in all
directions.
Pressure = force per unit area
Torricellis barometer
used a glass column
suspended in a bowl of
mercury. The pressure
of the air molecules
pushed the mercury up
into the glass tube.
As atmospheric
pressure
increases
The mercury in
the tube rises.
Drinking Straws
a) When a straw is put into a
glass of orange soda, the
pressure inside and outside
the straw is the same, so
the liquid levels inside and
outside the straw are the
same.
b) When a person sucks on
the straw, the pressure
inside the straw is lowered.
The greater pressure on the
surface of the liquid
outside the straw pushes
the liquid up the straw.
Suction Cups
The cardboard does not fall
and the water remains in the
glass even though its not
supported by anything.
The force caused by the
atmospheric pressure acts on
the surface of the cardboard is
greater than the weight of the
water in the glass.
Liquid Pressure
Liquids are made up of particles
Upper
Lower valves
To surface the
submarine, the upper
valves must open to
allow air into the
ballast tank to push
the water down pass
the lower valves.
Practice Questions