PAPER 2 THEORY QUESTIONS

Fig.1.1 shows a section through a very old bicycle tyre that is made of solid rubber.

Fig. 1.1

Fig. 1.2

(a) The solid rubber tyre exerts a pressure on the ground.

The unit of pressure is the pascal (Pa).
(i)

Define the pascal.

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(ii) The mass of the bicycle and rider is 60 kg and the total area of the tyres in contact with
3 2
the road is 2.4 10 m . The gravitational field strength is 10 N/kg.
Calculate the pressure exerted on the road.

pressure = ......................................[3]
(iii) One of the solid rubber tyres goes over a small stone, as shown in Fig. 1.2. Describe
and explain how the pressure exerted on the ground changes.
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(b) Fig. 1.3 shows a modern tyre that contains air. A heavy person sits on the bicycle and the
shape of the tyre changes, as shown in Fig. 1.4.

Fig. 1.3

Fig. 1.4

The table contains information about the tyre in Fig. 1.3 and Fig. 1.4.

(i)

Calculate the volume V of the air in the tyre in Fig. 1.4. State one assumption that you
make in your calculation.

V = ......................................[4]
MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / Pressure

(ii) Another way to change the pressure in the tyre is to raise the temperature.
State what happens to the pressure in the tyre when the temperature rises and explain
your answer using ideas about molecules.
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2

Fig. 2.1 shows a car braking system. The brake fluid is an oily liquid.

Fig. 2.1
The brake drum rotates with the wheel of the car.
(a) Explain how pushing the brake pedal makes the brake shoes rub against the drum.
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(b) The cross-sectional area of the master piston is 2.0 cm2. A force of 140 N is applied to
the master piston.
(i)

Calculate the pressure created in the brake fluid by the master piston.

pressure = ................................... N / cm [2]

(ii) The cross-sectional area of each slave piston is 2.8 cm2.
Calculate the force exerted on each slave piston by the brake fluid.

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

(iii) The force exerted on the master piston is greater than the force applied by the foot
on the brake pedal. Using the principle of moments, explain this.
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MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / Pressure

(c) Fig. 2.2 shows a master cylinder sealed at one end. Instead of brake fluid, the cylinder
contains air.

Fig. 2.2
When a force is applied to the piston, the length d changes from 6.0 cm to 4.0 cm.
The pressure of the air increases but the temperature stays constant.
(i)

Describe how the molecules of the air exert a pressure.

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(ii) Explain why the pressure increases even though the temperature stays constant.
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(iii) The initial pressure of the air inside the cylinder is 1.0 105 Pa.
Calculate the final pressure of the air. State the formula that you use in your calculation.

pressure = ....................................... [3]

(d) Air bubbles form in the brake fluid of Fig. 2.1. State the effect this has on the braking system.
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A diver holds his breath and dives into the sea from a boat to a depth of 25.0 m. The atmospheric
pressure is 1.05 105 Pa.
(a) (i)

Explain why the pressure at this depth is greater than the atmospheric pressure.
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(ii) Other than the depth and the atmospheric pressure, state one quantity that affects the
pressure in a liquid.
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MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / Pressure

(b) (i) The pressure due to 25.0 m of sea-water is 2.55 105 Pa. Calculate the total pressure
at this depth.
pressure = .................................... [1]
(ii) As the diver holds his breath and descends to a depth of 25.0 m, the greater pressure
causes the volume of the air trapped in his lungs to change.
When he is on the boat, the total volume of the air in his lungs is 6000 cm3. Calculate
the volume of this air at a depth of 25.0 m.

volume = ........................................ [2]

4

A U-shaped tube, of constant cross-sectional area, contains some water of density 1000 kg / m .
Oil that does not mix with water is then poured into the right-hand side of the tube. Fig. 4.1 shows
the levels of the water and the oil when equilibrium is reached.

Fig. 4.1
Points X and Y are at the same horizontal level. X is 0.066 m below the top surface of the
water. Y is 0.075 m below the top surface of the oil.
(a) State two quantities that influence the pressure beneath the surface of a liquid.
1. ...............................................................................................................................................
2. .......................................................................................................................................... [2]
(b) The cross-sectional area of the tube is 5.0 104 m2.
(i) Calculate the mass of water above the level of X.

mass = ..........................................[2]
MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / Pressure

(ii) The pressure caused by 0.066 m of water at X is equal to that caused by 0.075 m of the
oil at Y. Determine the density of the oil.

density = ....................................... [2]

5

A helium balloon carries scientific instruments high up in the atmosphere.

Fig. 5.1 shows the partially inflated helium balloon leaving the ground.

Fig. 5.1
(a) A completely deflated balloon contains no gas. The helium to inflate it is stored in a very
large cylinder at a pressure p1 of 2.5 107 Pa. Helium that occupies a volume V1 of 18 m3
in the cylinder is slowly released into the balloon until the pressure p2 in the balloon is
5
1.0 10 Pa.
The temperature of the helium remains constant.
(i)

State the equation that relates the volume V2 of the helium in the balloon at launch to p1,
p2 and V1.
....................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Calculate V2.

V2 = ..............................................[2]
(b) When it leaves the ground, the balloon is only partially inflated. Suggest and explain why this
is necessary.
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MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / Pressure

Fig. 6.1 shows a manometer used to measure the pressure difference between the air inside
a plastic container and the atmosphere outside.

Fig. 6.1

A pressure difference of 100Pa causes a one centimetre difference in water levels.

(a) Using Fig. 6.1, determine the pressure difference in Pa shown by the manometer.

pressure difference = .............................Pa [1]

(b) State what changes, if any, occur to the distance h in Fig. 6.1 if
(i)

the manometer tube is narrower,

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(ii)

a liquid denser than water is used in the manometer.

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(c) The pressure difference measured by the manometer is caused by the force F. This force is
the weight of a student standing on the platform. The cross-sectional area of the platform is
2
0.1m .
(i)

State the formula that relates pressure, force and area.

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(ii) Calculate the weight of the student.

weight = .......................................[3]

MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / Pressure

Fig. 7.1 shows a water manometer used to measure the pressure inside a gas pipe.

Fig. 7.1

Fig. 7.2

Fig. 7.3

(a) State whether the pressure inside the gas pipe in Fig. 7.1 is larger than or smaller than
atmospheric pressure.
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(b) The manometers shown in Figs. 7.2 and 7.3 are connected to the same gas pipe at the
same pressure as shown in Fig. 7.1.
On Figs. 7.2 and 7.3, draw the levels of the liquid in each manometer if
(i)

the manometer in Fig. 7.2 contains water and has tubes with twice the diameter of
Fig. 7.1,

(ii) the manometer in Fig. 7.3 contains a liquid with density half that of water.

[2]

(c) The manometer shown in Fig. 7.4 has its top end sealed.

Fig. 7.4
Explain why the water levels are different in Figs. 7.4 and 7.1, even though the pressure
in the gas pipe is the same.
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MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / Pressure