Physics Forces and Matter Chapter 5

Core

• State that a force may produce a change in size and shape of a body

• Plot extension/load graphs and describe the associated experimental procedure

Supplement

• Interpret extension/load graphs

• State Hooke’s Law and recall and use the expression F = k x

F= Force, k = spring constant, x= extension length

• Recognise the significance of the term ‘limit of proportionality’ for an extension/load graph.

Effect of forces

Force can change the shape of an object.

A stretching force puts an object such as a wire or spring under tension.

A squashing force puts an object under compression.

Hooke’s Law Glossary

• Elastic materials return to their original shape when the forces on them are removed.

• Plastic materials retain their new shape, when forces are removed

• Hooke’s Law - The extension of a spring or wire is directly proportional to the force applied provided
the limit of proportionality is not exceeded.

• Spring constant is the gradient of the force (x- axis) against extension (y-axis) the gradient is the
spring constant Units N/m

• The limit of proportionality is the is the point beyond which Hooke’s law is no longer true when
stretching a material.

• The elastic limit is the point beyond which the material you are stretching becomes permanently
stretched so that the material does not return to its original length when the force is removed.

• Brittle materials such as glass do not change shape easily and break before noticeably stretching.

• Resilient materials do not break easily.

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Physics Forces and Matter Chapter 5

Stretching Springs

Experimental procedure:

1. Place the weight holder only on the spring and note the position of the pin against the metre rule.

2. Add 1N (100g) to the holder and note the new position of the pin.

3. Calculate the extension of the spring.

4. Repeat stages 1 to 3 for 2N, 3N, 4N, 5N and 6N. DO NOT EXCEED 6N.

spring

weight
s

pin

metre rule

Typical results

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Physics Forces and Matter Chapter 5

Force against extension graph

elastic limit

limit of proportionality

Hooke’s law states that the extension of a spring force is proportional to the force used to stretch the
spring.

‘Proportional’ means that if the force is doubled then the extension also doubles.

The line on a graph of force against extension will be a straight AND go through the origin.

Force Force Force

Extension Extension Extension

Stiff spring (high k) Softer spring (low k) Even softer spring (lower k)

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Physics Forces and Matter Chapter 5

Pressure
• Relate pressure to force and area, using appropriate examples

• Recall and use the equation p = F/A

• Relate (without calculation) the pressure beneath a liquid surface to depth and to density, using
appropriate examples

• Recall and use the equation p = hρg

• Describe the simple mercury barometer and its use in measuring atmospheric pressure

• Use and describe the use of a manometer

Fluid Pressure

The pressure in solids always acts downwards because of the pull of gravity.

In fluids (liquids and gases) the pressure acts in all directions.

Pressure in fluids can be used to transfer forces.

Also, in fluids, the pressure increases with depth.

For example, dams are wider at the bottom than at the top because pressure increases with depth in water.

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Physics Forces and Matter Chapter 5

Pressure in liquids

• acts in all directions

• it increases with depth

• it depends on the density of the liquid

• it is the same at any depth, it does not depend on the shape or width of the container

• To calculate the pressure at a depth h and a density ρ

• Volume of liquid = base area x depth = Ah

• Mass of liquid = density x volume = ρ Ah

• Weight of liquid = mass x g = ρ g Ah

• Force on base = ρ g Ah

• This force is acting on area A

ρghA
• Pressure = force / area = =ρgh
A

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Physics Forces and Matter Chapter 5

Barometer

We can measure atmospheric pressure using a barometer.

The sealed tube contains a vacuum. Air pressure will push mercury up the tube. At sea level a column of
760 mm of mercury can be supported.

As atmospheric pressure changes, so does the height of mercury in the tube.

1. What liquid does a barometer contain?

2. What are barometers used for?

3. What holds up the mercury?

4. What is Hg?

5. What is special about 760mm?

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Physics Forces and Matter Chapter 5

Manometer

A manometer measures pressure difference.

The height difference (h) compares the pressure being measured with the atmospheric pressure.

A manometer is a u-tube containing a liquid, usually water.

The higher the pressure the further the water is pushed around the u-tube and the greater height h.

In this example, the pressure being measured is less than the atmospheric pressure.

Hydraulics

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Physics Forces and Matter Chapter 5

Air pressure

 acts in all direction

 becomes less as you rise up through it, because there is less and less weight above.
 Air pressure is usually 100000 N/m2.

Kinetic Theory – in a gas, the molecules are constantly striking and bouncing off the wall of a container. The
force of these impacts causes pressure.

When we compress (reduce the volume) a gas at constant temperature, the pressure increases.
Why?

A smaller volume increases the likelihood of a particle colliding with the container walls.

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Physics Forces and Matter Chapter 5

Boyle's Law

• Boyle’s Law is one of the laws in physics that concern the behaviour of gases

• When a gas is under pressure it takes up less space.

• The higher the pressure, the smaller the volume.

• Boyle's Law tells us about the relationship between the volume of a gas and its pressure at a
constant temperature

• The law states that pressure is inversely proportional to the volume

• P1V1=P2V2
Boyle’s Law apparatus

• When investigating Boyles law a given volume of gas is sucked into a cylinder and the end is sealed

• The temperature of the gas is kept constant

• Using several equal weights we can apply increasing pressure to the gas

• We can calculate the pressure by dividing the force applied by the area of the top of the cylinder

• The volume will be shown on the scale on the cylinder

Below are some results of an experiment

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Physics Forces and Matter Chapter 5

• Calculate pV (pressure x volume) for each set of results. What do you notice?

• For a fixed mass of gas, at constant temperature,

pV = constant or

P1 x V1 = P2 x V2

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