Science Department

UNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL

PHYSICS

CHAPTER 7: PRESSURE
ANSWERS

NAME:_____________________( ) CLASS: _________ DATE: __________

Exercise 7A: Pressure

1. Define pressure and state the SI unit for pressure.

Pressure is the force acting per unit area. Pa
_________________________________________________________________

2. Complete the following table to find either the force, area or pressure.
Force Area Pressure
400 N 2 m2 200 Pa
4N 2 m2 2 Pa
80 kN 4 m2 20 kPa
18 kN 3 m2 6 kPa

3. A woman who has a weight of 630 N is wearing high heel shoes. The area of
each heel in contact with the floor is 0.45 cm2. What is the pressure exerted by
the woman on the floor if
Area of each heel  0.45 cm 2  0.45  10 4 m 2
(a) she stands on the 2 heels only?
630 N
P  700 N / cm 2 OR
2  0.45 cm 2

630 N
P  7 MPa
2  0.45  10  4 m 2
(b) she stands on 1 heel only?
630 N
P  1400 N / cm 2 OR
0.45 cm 2
630 N
P  14 MPa
0.45  10  4 m 2
4. Mark stands on snow wearing a pair of skis. His total mass is 60 kg and each of
the skis has an area of 2 000 cm2 in contact with the snow.

(a) Explain why Mark is able to stand on the snow without sinking whereas Mabel,
who is wearing normal shoes, finds herself sinking into the soft snow.

Mark’s skis have a large area of contact compare to Mabel’s shoe. He exerts less
______________________________________________________________

pressure on the snow compares to Mabel. Therefore Mark does not sink into the
______________________________________________________________

snow but Mabel does.

______________________________________________________________

Chapter 7: Pressure 1
Science Department

(b) Calculate the pressure (in Pa) that Mark exerts on the snow.
Area of each ski  2000 cm 2  2000  10 4 m 2
F  60 kg  10 m / s 2  600 N
600 N
P  1500 Pa
2  2000  10  4 m 2

5. A rhinoceros weighing 20 kN stands on the ground. Each of its feet has an area of
200 cm2 in contact with the ground.

(a) Calculate the average pressure, in Pa, exerted on the ground by each of its
four feet.
Area of each foot  200 cm 2  200  10 4 m 2
F  20 ,000 N
20 ,000 N
P  250 ,000 Pa
4  200  10  4 m 2
(b) Determine the area that a person of mass 60 kg would have to stand on in
order to exert the same pressure on the ground
F  600 N
600 N
P  250 ,000 Pa
A
600 N
A  0.0024 m 2
250 ,000 Pa

6. The diagram below shows a V-shaped object placed in different orientation. In

which position does the object exert the maximum pressure on the surface it is
resting?
A B

C D

( C )

Chapter 7: Pressure 2
Science Department

7. Three cylindrical blocks X, Y and Z are made of different materials and have mass
of 2 kg, 5 kg and 10 kg respectively. If the each end of the block resting on a level
surface has an area of 2 cm2, 4 cm2 and 6 cm2 respectively, calculate

(a) the weight of block X, Y and Z

W x  20 N
W y  50 N W z  100 N

(b) the pressure exerted by block X on the surface,

F 20 N
P   10 N / cm 2
A 2cm 2

(c) which block exerts the highest pressure.

50 N 100 N
Py   12.5 N / cm 2 Pz   16.7 N / cm 2 Ans : Z
4 cm 2 6 cm 2

8. A 10,000 N rectangular block has dimensions 2 m x 3 m x 5m. It is resting on a

table. What is the greatest and least pressure exerted by the block on the table?

F 10000 N
F 10000 N Pl arg est    1667 Pa
Pleast    667 Pa Asmallest 2  3m 2
Al arg erst 3  5m 2

Chapter 7: Pressure 3
Science Department

UNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL

PHYSICS

CHAPTER 7: PRESSURE
ANSWERS

NAME:_____________________( ) CLASS: _________ DATE: __________

Exercise 7B: Pressure in Liquid

1. Write down an expression for the pressure of liquid with density  at a depth h
below the surface of liquid.
P  hg
__________________________________________________________________

2. A vessel with vertical sides and a base area 0.050 m2 contains mercury of density
13600 kgm-3 and depth 6.0 m. Calculate

(a) the weight of mercury in the vessel.

m    V  13600  0.050  6  4080 kg
W  mg  4080  10  40800 N

(b) The pressure that the mercury exerts on the base of the tank.
W 40800 N
P   816 ,000 Pa
A 0.050 m 2

3. The bottom of one part of Pacific Ocean is 9 km below sea level.

.
(a) Assuming that the density of sea water is 1200 kg m-3, calculate the pressure
at the bottom of that part of the Pacific Ocean.
P  hg
 9000 m  1200 kgm  3  10 ms  2
 108 MPa

(b) What is the magnitude of the average force on an underwater camera lens of
radius 10 cm there? A  r 2    0.1  0.1  0.01 [2]
F  PA
 108  10 6  0.01
 3.4  10 6 N
4. May is diving in the sea. Given that the density of seawater is 1150 kgm-3 and that
the atmospheric pressure is 100 kPa, calculate

(a) The liquid pressure exerted on May when she is 20 m below seawater.
P  h g
 ( 20 )( 1150 )( 10 )
 230 ,000 Pa

Chapter 7: Pressure 4
Science Department

(b) Hence calculate the total pressure exerted on May when she is 20 m
below seawater.
P  Patm  230 ,000 Pa
 100 ,000 Pa  230 ,000 Pa
 330 ,000 Pa

(c) If May is diving in freshwater lake where the density of lakewater is 1000
kg m-3, calculate the depth she has to dive to experience the same liquid
pressure obtained in (a) above.
P
h
g
230 ,000
  23 m
1000  10
5. The figure below shows an oil drum of weight 2800 N floating in water. The force F
is the force acting upwards on the bottom surface of the drum caused by the
pressure in the water. The force X is the force acting downward on the top surface
of the drum caused by the pressure in the air
Surface area
air X
0.4 m2

W =2800 N
water
h

Atmospheric pressure is 100 000 Pa and acts on the top surface of the drum and
on the water surface. Density of water is 1000 kg/m3.

(a) Calculate the force that the air exerts on the top surface.

F  Patm A
 100 ,000  0.4
 40 ,000 N

(b) Write down the expression for the total pressure in the water at the depth h
in terms of h.
P  Patm  hg
 100 ,000  h( 1000 )( 10 )
 100 ,000  10 ,000 h

(c) Find the depth h.

Downward force = upward force
W  F  PA 107 ,000  100 ,000
h  0.7 m
2 ,800  40 ,000  ( 100 ,000  10 ,000 h )( 0.4 ) 10 ,000
42 ,800
 100 ,000  10 ,000 h
0.4

Chapter 7: Pressure 5
Science Department

UNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL

PHYSICS

CHAPTER 7: PRESSURE
ANSWERS

NAME:_____________________( ) CLASS: _________ DATE: __________

Exercise 7C: Pressure in Liquid - Hydraulic

1. What properties of liquid do hydraulic systems make use of?

Liquid is not compressible.

(a) _______________________________________________________________

Pressure can be transmitted in liquid.

(b) _______________________________________________________________

2. The diagram shows a hydraulic press. The small piston and large piston have
areas of 10 cm2 and 400 cm2 respectively

90 N
small
Large Load piston
piston

oil

A student applied a force of 90 N on the small piston in an attempt to raise a load

that is placed on the large piston. Calculate
(i) the pressure exerted on the liquid by the small piston,

90 N
P 2
 9 N / cm 2
10 cm

(ii) the pressure exerted on the large piston,

9 N / cm 2

(iii) the maximum load the student is able to lift.

PL  PS
FL FS

AL AS
FS
FL   AL
AS
 9 Ncm  2  400 cm 2  3600 N

Chapter 7: Pressure 6
 Science Department

3. The diagram below shows a simple hydraulic jack.

100 N

handle

Load piston Z
Area
0.005m2
piston W
Area 0.40m2
oil
(a) Calculate the force exerted on the load.

PW  PZ
FW F
 Z
AW AZ
FZ
FW   AW
AZ
100
  0.4  8000 N
0.005

(b) If the area of piston Z is increased to 0.010 m2, how would this affect the
force exerted on the load?

FW F
 Z  AW
2 2 AZ

The force exerted on the load is reduced by 2 times.

Therefore force exerted on load = 4000N

Chapter 7: Pressure 7
Science Department

UNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL

PHYSICS

CHAPTER 7: PRESSURE
ANSWERS

NAME:_____________________( ) CLASS: _________ DATE: __________

Exercise 7D: Pressure in Gas - Atmospheric (Barometer)

1. What is the typical magnitude of atmospheric pressure?

__________
100 kPa, _________
1 bar, ____________
760 mmHg

2. Convert the following:

368
(a) 50 kPa = _______________ mmHg

92.5
(b) 680 mmHg = _______________kPa

150
(c) 1.5 bar = ______________ 1103
kPa = _____________ mmHg

3. The height of a mercury barometer is 76 cm when it is placed at sea level. The

density of mercury is 13600 kg/m3.

vacuum 9 cm
A

G B
76 cm
45 cm
E C
15 cm

10 cm
F D

(a) What is the pressure in mmHg and Pa at

0
(i) A _______________ 0
mmHg ________________ Pa

310
(ii) B _______________ 42,160
mmHg ________________ Pa

760
(iii) C _______________ 103,360
mmHg ________________ Pa
1010
(iv) D _______________ 137,360
mmHg ________________ Pa

(v) E _______________
760 103,360
mmHg ________________ Pa

(vi) F _______________
1010 137,360
mmHg ________________ Pa

760
(vii) G _______________ 103,360
mmHg ________________ Pa

Chapter 7: Pressure 8
Science Department

(b) What is the vertical height of mercury column above the mercury level in the
trough when
(i) 76 cm
the tube is pulled up by 10 cm ? _______________________________

(ii) 76 cm
the tube is pushed down by 5 cm? _____________________________

(iii) 76 cm
the tube is tilted through an angle of about 10 ? __________________

4. Two barometers are set up below using identical tubes of uniform cross-sectional
area, at sea level.

0.25 m 0.28 m
F
1.00 m
E
0.40 m

Barometer P Barometer Q

(a) Given that the empty space above the mercury column in barometer P is a
vacuum, determine the atmospheric pressure as measured by this
barometer in mm Hg.
Height of mercury  1m  0.25 m  0.75 m
P  750 mmHg
(b) Hence, calculate the atmospheric pressure in SI units.
P  h g
 0.75  13600  10
 102 ,000 Pa
(c) What is the pressure at point E in barometer P? Give your answer in
mmHg and show essential working on how you arrive at your answer.
Height of mercury  1m  0.25 m  0.40 m  0.35 m
P  350 mmHg

(d) Suggest a possible reason why barometer Q gives a shorter mercury

column compared to P.

Air is present in the space in Barometer Q.

___________________________________________________________

(e) What is the pressure at the point F in barometer Q? Give your answer in
SI units and show essential working on how you arrive at your answer.
PF  PHg  Patm
PF  Patm  PHg  750 mmHg  720 nnHg
 30 mmHg  ( 0.03 )( 13600 )( 10 )  4080 Pa

Chapter 7: Pressure 9
Science Department

UNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL

PHYSICS

CHAPTER 7: PRESSURE
ANSWERS

NAME:_____________________( ) CLASS: _________ DATE: __________

Exercise 7E: Pressure in Gas (Manometer)

1. The diagram shows the water levels in a water manometer used to measure the
pressure of gas supply. Pressure can be measured in cm of water.

connected to
gas supply

6 cm

2 cm

(a) What is the pressure of the gas in cm of water?

Pgas  Patm  Pwater
 1000 cmH 2 O  6 cmH 2 O  1006 cmH 2 O
(b) What is the pressure of the gas in Pa?

Pgas  10.06 m  1000 kgm 3  10 ms 2  100 ,600 Pa

2. The diagram shows the mercury levels in a mercury manometer used to measure
the pressure of a gas supply.
.

gas 10 cm
18 cm
12 cm

If the atmospheric pressure is 750 mm Hg, calculate the pressure of the gas
supply in

(a) mm Hg Pgas  Pwater  Patm

Pgas  Patm  Pwater
 750 mmHg  40 mmHg  710 mmHg
(b) N m-2
710 mmHg  0.71  13600  10  96 ,560 Pa

Chapter 7: Pressure 10
 Science Department

3. A U-tube with 30 cm of water is set up vertically and 10 cm of olive oil is poured

carefully into the left-hand limp of the tube as shown below. It is observed that
water will be pushed up in the other limb. The density of water and olive oil are
1000 kg m-3 and 920 kg m-3 respectively

olive oil B water

10cm

C A

(a) Mark on the diagram a point C which has the same pressure as point A.

(b) What is the length of water column AB?

Patm  Poil  Patm  Pwater
Poil  Pwater
hoil  oil g  hwater  water g
hoil  oil  hwater  water
hoil  oil 10  920
hwater    9.2 cm
 water 1000
(c) A further 6 cm of olive oil is added into the left-hand limb. How much
further will the water level rise in the right limb?

16  920
h=?
h   14.72cm
1000
B
16cm h 10cm h  L2  L2  30 cm
9.2cm
30 cm  14.72 cm
A L2   7.64 cm
2
30 cm  9.2 cm
L1   10.4 cm
L2 L2 L1 L1 2
 h  ( h  L2 )  ( 9.2  L1 )
 ( 14.72  7.64 )  ( 9.2  10.4 )  2.76 cm

(d) If the olive oil is added into the right-hand limb, what will be the height of
water column AB?
Patm  Poil  Patm  P ' oil  Pwater
Poil  P ' oil  Pwater
( 10 cm  6 cm ) oil  hwater  water
4 cm   oil 4  920
hwater    3.68 cm
 water 1000

Chapter 7: Pressure 11