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Learning Objectives
GCSE Physics
Pressure

Objective At the I have I have

start… studied… revised…

1 know and use the relationship between pressure, force and area R A G R A G R A G

understand the pressure in a liquid or gas at rest acts equally in

2 all directions R A G R A G R A G

know and use the relationship between pressure difference,

3 density, gravitational field strength and height R A G R A G R A G

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GCSE Physics
Pressure Pressure
To define the term ‘pressure’
Learning
To recall and use the formula for calculating pressure
Outcomes
To describe an experiment to determine the pressure a person exerts on the floor

Pressure

Pressure is the force per unit area an object exerts on a surface. The unit of pressure is Pascals (Pa).

Objects and surfaces can withstand different amounts of pressures.

For example, trying to push a pin into a wall. If you try to push either end
into a board with the same force, the pointed end will go into the board
much more easily as the same force is concentrated in a smaller area,
providing a higher pressure meaning the pin can break through the
surface.

Calculating Pressure

Define: Pressure - The force per unit area.

'(")#
Formula: !"#$$%"# =
*"#+ F
'
Symbols: !=
*

Force: N
P A
Units: Area: m2 (or cm2)
Pressure: Pa (or N/cm2)

Hint: 1 Pa = 1 N/m2

Make sure you are careful with units when calculating pressure – look at what units you are required to give your
answer in and make sure you convert all quantities into these units before doing calculations if possible!

Use the ‘Converting Units’ page in the GCSE Skills booklet to help convert units.

Points to consider:

• Some objects will have their weight spread over multiple surfaces (eg. A car on four wheels or a person
standing on two legs). Make sure the area you use in the equation is the total area the force is spread across.
(eg. If the question only gives the area of one wheel of a car, multiply this by four to get the total area).

• The most common force used will be weight (measured in Newtons). However if the question gives you the
mass of an object (measured in kilograms), this needs to be multiplied by 10 to convert it to weight.

,-./01 (4) = 6788(9/) × /;7<.171.=>7? @.-?A 8;->/10 = 6788 (9/) × BC

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Determining the pressure of a person standing on the floor

Measurements:

• Measure the mass of the person in kg using a mass balance

• Draw around a foot on graph paper (or cm2 paper)
• Count the number of squares inside the line
• Multiply the number of squares by the area of one square to get the area of
one foot.

Analysis:

• Calculate the weight by multiplying the mass by 10 since W=mg

• Multiply the area of one foot by two to get the area of both feet
• Pressure = Weight / Area

For help with calculating the area – use the GCSE Skills Booklet ‘Calculating Areas – Counting Squares’ section

Improving the experiment

Mass Balance:
Place the balance on a flat surface.
Make sure the balance is zeroed before using.

Accuracy
Foot Area
Use a sharp pencil
Count very small squares, rather than estimating bigger squares.
Calculate area of other foot rather than multiplying by two.

Precision Use a mass balance that measures to smaller intervals.

Use graph paper with smaller squares or count the smallest squares.

Reliability Repeat the experiment and average results.

Remove anomalies and re-do trials.

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GCSE Physics
Pressure Calculating Pressure
1. State the definition of pressure:

2. What is the pressure when a force of 200 N acts over an area of 4 m2?

3. What area does a force of 16N act over if it exerts a pressure of 2 N/cm2?

4. Calculate the force that acts on a surface of area 50 cm2 with a pressure of 5 N/cm2.

5. To create a pressure of 8000 N/m2, what area must a force of 400 N act over?

6. A plank of wood lying on the ground has a base of 20 cm by 180 cm has a weight of 50 N. What is the
pressure that it exerts on the ground in Pascals?

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7. A car has a weight of 18 100 N, and each wheel has an area in contact with the floor of 0.024 m2. What is the
overall pressure of the car on the ground?

8. A wardrobe has a mass of 80 kg and spreads over an area of 2 m2 on the floor. What pressure does it exert
on the floor?

9. Convert the following units – use the converting units section in your skills booklet to help:

1 kN = N

1m = cm

1 m2 = cm2

1 Pa = N/cm2

10. Convert 680 N/cm2 into Pascals.

11. The block has a weight of 58 N. What is the highest pressure the block can exert on the surface it sits on?

Give your answer in Pascals.

10 cm
cm
20
60 cm

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12. If a sculpture has a weight of 180 N and exerts a pressure of 1500 Pa, what is the area of the base in cm2?

13. A kitchen table with four legs has a weight of 2000 N and exerts a total pressure of 330 kPa on the ground.
What is the area of the base of one leg in cm2?

14. The head of a nail has an area of 0.5 cm2. A hammer hits the nail with a force of 0.45 kN. What pressure
does the hammer exert on the nail in Pascals?

15. This aluminium block has a density of 2.7 g/cm3. What pressure in Pascals does it exert on the surface it lies
on?

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 GCSE Physics
Pressure
Practical: Measuring the pressure you exert on the floor

Method:

Raw Data:

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Stick Graph Paper here
(Try to line up holes!)

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Analysis:

Accuracy:

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12
GCSE Physics
Pressure Pressure in Fluids
To understand the pressure at a point in a fluid acts equally in all directions
Learning
To recall and use the equation linking pressure difference, density, g and depth
Outcomes
To explain how pressure changes with depth and link this to situations

Fluid is the collective term for a liquid and a gas.

Pressure in a fluid acts equally in all directions – ie. If you take a balloon full
of water and poke holes in it, no matter in what direction you press and
where the holes are, the liquid will come out in all directions with equal
pressure.

Pressure in a liquid is easily transmitted throughout the whole liquid – this is

because the particles are close together, therefore any pressure one particle
feels, this gets pushed into the next particle and so on… This is very useful in
hydraulic systems.

Hydraulic Press
Hydraulic machines use liquids and pressure to apply forces in machinery.
A hydraulic press can increase (or decrease) the amount of force on a system. A tube
with ends of different areas is filled with liquid and then closed off with two surfaces
of different areas. If a downward force is applied onto the smaller surface, this exerts
a pressure on the liquid. This pressure is transferred across the whole liquid and the
surface at the other side feels an equal amount of pressure upwards. Because this
pressure is exerted over a larger area, to keep the pressure constant, a larger force is
exerted on the larger surface.
Therefore, a small force downwards at one end can cause a large force upwards at the
other end.

DEFGH IJKL DEFGH OPQRL DS DT

!"#$$%"# = = or =
MFHN IJKL MFHN OPQRL MS MT

How pressure changes with depth

When diving into a deep swimming pool or the sea, you feel the pressure increase the deeper you go. This is because
the weight of the water on top of you pushes you down with a greater force, and since you have the same area, the
pressure increases.
The opposite effect occurs when flying in a plane. When on the ground, there is a lot of air pushing down on you,
however as you go to higher altitudes there is less air above you and therefore pushes down on you with less weight
and that is why the pressure reduces at higher altitudes.

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Calculating Pressure Difference
We want to calculate the difference in pressure to a depth h below the surface of a tube of water.
UEFGH
Pressure difference is caused the weight of the water: !"#$$%"# =
NFHN
VNWW × X
Weight = mass x g: !"#$$%"# = NFHN
YHZW[\] × ^E_`VH × X
Mass = density x volume: !"#$$%"# = NFHN
^E_`VH
!"#$$%"# = a#b$cde × f ×
NFHN

Volume / Area = height (or depth): !"#$$%"# = a#b$cde × f × a#gdℎ

∆! = j f ℎ

It is worth noting that the pressure does not depend on the area you are looking at – so it doesn’t matter whether you
have a large or small area when diving – you will always feel the same pressure at that depth.

Formula: !"#$$%"# ackk#"#b)# = a#l$cde × f × a#gdℎ

Symbols: ∆! = jfℎ ∆!
Pressure difference: Pa
Units:
Density: kg/m3 j g h
Gravitational Field Strength: N/kg
Depth: m

Calculating Total Pressure

At ground level, the pressure can be assumed to be atmospheric pressure which is 101 000 Pa.

Any deeper than this the pressure increases, any higher than this the pressure decreases.

Deeper: Total Pressure = Atmospheric Pressure + Pressure Difference

Higher: Total Pressure = Atmospheric Pressure – Pressure Difference

Linking Pressure Difference to Water Level

When investigating the U-tube, it is seen that the water levels at both ends are at the same height. This is because
both ends are exposed to the atmosphere and are at the same atmospheric pressure – and as the equation shows, if
there is no difference in pressure there is no difference in depth.

If some air is blown into one side of the tube, the pressure increases on this side as there is a greater force pushing
down. Since water is incompressible, this pushes the rest of the water around to a higher level.

To work out the pressure being blown into the tube, just use the pressure difference equation using the depth as the
difference in height of the two water levels.

Pressure Explanation Questions – Exam Technique

1) State the relevant equation
2) Describe what has changed in the equation and how it affects the pressure (eg. Depth increases so so does
the pressure).
3) State what stays the same (eg. Density and gravitational field strength)
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GCSE Physics
Pressure Hydraulic Press Calculations
1.

a) Calculate the pressure the 20 N force exerts on the liquid.

b) What is the pressure of the liquid at the surface of the right piston?

c) Calculate the force exerted by the right piston.

2.

Calculate the area of the right piston.

3. What property enables liquids to transmit pressure through the whole liquid? Explain your answer.

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4. A force of 50 N is produced on a piston of area 0.0080 m2. What is the area of the other piston when it is
pushed down with a force of 200 N?

5. The radius of the smaller piston if 5.0 cm and a force of 12 N is exerted on it. What force is produced if the
radius of the other piston is 10.0 cm?

6.
a) A hydraulic press is sometimes called a ‘force multiplier’. State why this is so by explaining how a
hydraulic press works using the idea of pressure.

b) Why do you think the term ‘force multiplier’ can be misleading?

7. If a force of 50.0 N is produced on a piston with radius 20.0 cm, what is the diameter of the opposite piston
if a force of 4.0 N is exerted on it?

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GCSE Physics
Pressure Calculating Pressure Difference
You may use the following data in the questions below:

Density of water = 1000 kg/m3 Density of salt water = 1027 kg/m3 Atmospheric Pressure = 101 000 Pa

Calculate the pressure difference in the following situations:

1. A fish descends 2 m in fresh water from the surface.

2. A fish descends 4 m in salt water.

3. A scuba diver that rises from 10 m below the surface to 2 m below the surface in salt water.

4a. Calculate the pressure difference when a diver descends 20m in sea water.

4b. Calculate the total pressure the diver feels given that atmospheric pressure is 101 000 Pa.

5. Milk has a density of around 1033 kg⁄ms

What will be the total pressure exerted on the bottom surface of the glass below?

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6. A diver ascends from a depth of 20m to a depth of 15m in sea water.

What is the total pressure exerted on him when he has finished his ascent?

7. The tubes below are filled with pure water and connected at their base.

What is the difference in pressure between the points P and Q?

8. A bird flies to a height of 100m in the air.

What is the pressure due to the air on the bird at this altitude (assuming the density of air remains constant
at 1.2 kg/m3)?

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GCSE Physics
Pressure Explaining Pressure Questions

One cup is full with coffee, whereas the other is half full with coffee, Compare and explain the two pressures caused
by the coffee at the bottom of the cups.

Fill in the paths of the water when the holes are opened, explaining your drawings.

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Fill in the water levels, explaining your answer.

Explain what will now happen to the water level in the following diagram.

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 Barometers and Manometers
GCSE Physics
Pressure
To explain how a barometer works and use it to calculate pressure
Learning
To explain how a manometer works and use it to calculate pressure
Outcomes
To explain why different liquids are used in barometers and manometers

Barometers and manometers are two instruments that are used to measure pressure.
Barometer – used to measure atmospheric pressure
A barometer uses an inverted tube filled with mercury with a small vacuum at the top in a larger bath of mercury. A
vacuum contains no air, therefore has no air pressure hence the pressure inside of the vacuum is zero. The mercury
levels out so that the difference in height of the two levels corresponds to the difference in pressure between them.
Since the pressure in the vacuum is zero, the height difference of the mercury levels just corresponds to the
atmospheric pressure.

∆! = jfℎ

!N\VEWuvHFH − !^NG``V = jfℎ

!N\VEWuvHFH − 0 = jfℎ

!N\VEWuvHFH = jfℎ

If the atmospheric pressure If the atmospheric pressure

increases, the exposed mercury is decreases, there is less downward
forced downwards and fills the force on the exposed mercury so
tube even more – the difference in the mercury in the tube flows out
height between the two mercury and into the basin, causing the
levels increase, therefore showing exposed level to become higher and
that the atmospheric pressure has the internal level to go lower. The
increased. decrease in difference in height
between the two mercury levels
shows the atmospheric pressure
Example –
has decreased.
What is the atmospheric pressure shown by the barometer?
(Density of mercury – 13 560 kg/m3)

*dl($gℎ#"c) !"#$$%"# = jfℎ

= (13560)(10)(0.76)
= 103 056 !+
= 100 000 !+ (2$k)
Use of mercury in barometers

Atmospheric pressure is a very large pressure (even though we don’t really feel it). Mercury is used because it is a very
dense liquid and it provides height differences of less than 1m. If the change in pressure and g are constants, a more
dense liquid produces a smaller height difference, since ∆! = jfℎ. If we were to use water, we would need to have
a barometer about 10m long to detect changes in air pressure!

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Manometer – used to measure atmospheric pressure and gas pressure
A manometer is a partially mercury filled U-tube with one end exposed to the atmosphere and one end connected to
an external gas supply. It compares a gas’ pressure to atmospheric pressure.

In the diagram to the right, because the mercury levels are at the same height, there must be
no pressure difference between the pressures acting on the two surfaces of the mercury –
therefore, because one end is atmospheric pressure, so must the other thus the gas must be
at atmospheric pressure also.
Gas
}+$ !"#$$%"# = *dl($gℎ#"c) !"#$$%"#

Here the atmospheric pressure is greater than the pressure of the gas, so the mercury is
pushed downwards by the atmosphere. The difference in height of the mercury levels
corresponds to the difference in pressure between the atmosphere and the gas, therefore
the gas pressure is:

Gas }+$ !"#$$%"# = *dl($gℎ#"c) !"#$$%"# − ∆!

}+$ !"#$$%"# = *dl($gℎ#"c) !"#$$%"# − jfℎ

Here the pressure of the gas is greater than atmospheric pressure, so the mercury is
pushed downwards by the gas. The difference in height of the mercury levels
corresponds to the difference in pressure between the atmosphere and the gas,
Gas therefore the gas pressure is:

}+$ !"#$$%"# = *dl($gℎ#"c) !"#$$%"# + ∆!

}+$ !"#$$%"# = *dl($gℎ#"c) !"#$$%"# + jfℎ

Example –
Calculate the pressure of the gas using the manometer below given the atmospheric pressure is 101 000 Pa.
(Density of mercury – 13 560 kg/m3).

}+$ !"#$$%"# = *dl($gℎ#"c) !"#$$%"# + ∆!

= *dl($gℎ#"c) !"#$$%"# + jfℎ

= 101 000 + (13560)(10)(0.30)

= 141 890 !+

= 140 000 !+ (2$k)

Use of other liquids

If the changes in pressure being measured are very small, sometimes the height difference with mercury are too small
to measure. In this case, less dense liquids (eg. water) are used as these will produce a larger and easier to read
measurement.
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GCSE Physics
Pressure Barometer and Manometer Questions
In all questions, assume the liquid is mercury unless stated otherwise. The density of mercury is 13 560 kg/m3.

1. What is the atmospheric pressure measured by the barometer?

2. What is the pressure of the neon gas in the manometer?

101 000 Pa

3.

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4. How high will the column of mercury be in a barometer when atmospheric pressure is 97.2 kPa?

5. What is the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas in the manometer?

105 000 Pa

6.

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7. What is the pressure of the gas in the manometer?

8.

9.

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10. A manometer with an unknown liquid is connected to an external gas supply with a pressure of 101.3 kPa.
Atmospheric pressure is 100.8 kPa. Given the height difference of the liquid levels is 3.1 cm, is the liquid
level higher at the supply or atmosphere side and what is the density of the liquid?

11. Some air is trapped at the top of a barometer. If the atmospheric pressure is
99.9 kPa, what is the pressure of the trapped air?

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GCSE Physics

Pressure Practical Question: Emptying a Bucket

A large, transparent bucket of water has had a tap fitted near the bottom of it. A student fills the bucket and then
wants to time how the height of the water level changes with time after the tap is opened.

The student used a stopwatch to time the experiment and a ruler to measure the height of the water level.

The student had forgotten his exercise book so wrote his results down on the piece of paper below.

4 24 1 46 16
16
16 16 33
16
16

Using the data above, construct a logical, scientific table below. You do not need to include the missed result.

State the independent variable and explain whether it is categoric or continuous.

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Using the data, construct a graph on the following page. Include a line of best fit.

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Describe the relationship shown by the graph.

Explain this relationship using the idea of pressure.

Use your graph to estimate the value of the missed data point. cm

How could the student have ensured the ruler was vertical when doing the experiment?

Other than making sure the ruler was vertical, state another way of being accurate when taking the measurements.

If the student had not missed the data point, what part of the graph do you think is the most inaccurate and why?

How do you think the student could have improved this?

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Calculate the pressure due to the water on the bottom of the bucket at the start of the experiment.
(Density of water = 1000 kg/m3)

Pressure = Pa

What is the total pressure on the bottom of the bucket at this time? (Atmospheric Pressure = 101 kPa)

Total Pressure = Pa

Estimate the height of the tap above the bottom of the bucket.

Height of Tap = cm

Give two reasons why the experiment could be considered as unreliable.

1.

2.

Suggest what the student could have done to make the experiment more reliable.

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GCSE Physics
Pressure
Summary Questions
1. How much pressure does a four-legged table weighing 500 N put on the floor if the base of each leg has an area
of 20 cm2?

2. Annotate the diagram by drawing arrows on the two divers to show how water pressure acts on them Be as
accurate as you can be drawing arrows to relative scale.

Surface

Depth

3. A person of mass 75 kg stands on the floor on two feet. If each foot has an area of 250 cm2, calculate the pressure
they exert on the ground. State the unit of your answer.

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4. Below is a vase filled with water. Use the symbols <, > or = to order the points A, B and C from highest to lowest
pressure.

5.

6. Given atmospheric pressure is 101 kPa, what is the total pressure on a fish in the ocean at a depth of 800 m?
The density of ocean water is 1027 kg/m3.

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7. If one piston has an area of 0.0062 m2 and a force of 30 N is applied to it, what force will be produced on the
opposite piston with area of 0.034 m2 if they are connected by a hydraulic system?

8. Sometimes small cups are fitted to feet of couches to prevent damage to carpets. Explain how they provide
protection.

9. a. What is the atmospheric pressure as shown by the barometer, given the density of mercury is 13 560 kg/m3?

b. How would the height of the column be different if a less dense liquid was used?

10.
a. What is the air pressure acting on a plane flying at 1.4 km given the pressure at sea level is 101 kPa and the
density of air is 1.23 kg/m3 (assume this stays constant)?

b. What force is acting on the rectangular windows with dimensions 40 cm x 25 cm?

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11. Two pistons are connected by a hydraulic system. If the diameter of one of the pistons is 24 cm and a force of
10 N is applied to it, what must the area of the second piston to lift a car with weight 20 000 N.

12. What is the air pressure in the manometer, given the density of mercury is 13 560 kg/m3?

101 000 Pa

13. A column of turpentine with height 81 cm exerts the same amount of pressure as a heavy box with a weight of
68 040 N. The area of the base of the box is 10 m2. What is the density of turpentine?

14. Some air is trapped at the top of this barometer. Given that the atmospheric pressure is 101 kPa, what is the
pressure of the trapped air? (Density of mercury is 13 560 kg/m3)

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GCSE Physics
Pressure
Extension Questions
1. If atmospheric pressure is 101 kPa, what is the pressure at point X in the barometer?

2. Explain how a drinking straw works using the idea of pressure.

3. The diagram shows a barometer at the surface of a swimming pool. The barometer is then taken 2 m underwater.
What is the height of the mercury at this depth?
(Density of water is 1000 kg/m3; Density of mercury is 13 560 kg/m3)

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4. This brass block has a density of 8.73 g/cm3. Calculate the largest pressure the block can exert on the surface it
lies on.
Give your answer in Pascals.

5. Car tyre pressures are often measured in units of psi (pounds per square inch) which is not the same standard unit
of pressure, the Pascal (where 1 Pa = 1 N/m2). Given that 1.00 inch = 2.54 cm and 1.00 pound = 4.45 N, then a type
pressure of 36.0 psi is equivalent to a standard pressure of:

a. 14.2 Pa
b. 63.1 Pa
c. 160 Pa
d. 6310 Pa
e. 248 000 Pa

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