Cert in EE

Physics for Engineering

Pressure
Understanding Pressure
For this course, you need to know

1. The definition of pressure

2. The formula of pressure (you need this
formula to do lot of calculation.)
3. The SI unit of pressure
4. Factors affecting the magnitude of pressure
What is Pressure?
Pressure (p) is defined as the perpendicular force (F)
acting on unit area of a surface or the force per unit
area (A).

• SI unit of pressure is the pascal or newton per metre

square. (Pa or N m-2)
• It is a scalar quantity.
Pressure
• Pressure is defined as the force acting
perpendicular per unit area.
Example 1:
Find the pressure exerted on a person by a few plastic blocks of
total mass 42 kg, the bottom of which in contact with the person
has an area of 840 cm2. State what will happen to the pressure if
the area is now decreased to a very small value.
Unit of Pressure
• The SI unit of pressure is Pascal (Pa). 1 Pa is
equal to1 newton per metre2 (N/m²).

1 N/m² = 1 Pa
Factors Affecting the Magnitude of Pressure

Factors that affect the pressure acting on a

surface.
• Magnitude of the force.
The larger the force, the higher the pressure.
• Contact area.
The larger the contact area, the lower the pressure.
Example 1
Example:
A force F is acting on a surface of area 20cm², produces a
pressure 2500Pa on the surface. Find the magnitude of
the force.

Answer:
If the pressure is in Pa, then the unit of area must be in m².
1 m² = 10000 cm²

From the question,

A = 20 cm² = 0.002 m²
P = 2500 Pa
Example 2:
A block of wood 3 m long, 5 m wide and 1
m thick is placed on a table. If the density
of the wood is 900 kgm-3, find

a) the lowest pressure

b) the highest pressure
on the table due to the block.
Answer:
a.
Step 1: Finding the weight of the block
The volume of the block = 3 x 5 x 1 = 15m³.

Mass = Density x Volume

Mass of the block, m = (900)(15)= 13500 kg

Weight of the block = mg = 13500 x 10 = 135,000N

Step 2: Determine the surface area

The pressure exerted on a surface is inversely proportional to the area of
the surface. The bigger the surface, the lower the pressure
Example 2:
For the wooden block, the biggest surface, A = 5 x 3 = 15m²

Step 3: Finding pressure

P=FA, P=(135,000)(15)=9000Nm−2 or 9000Pa

b. The pressure is the highest when the surface area is the smallest.

The smallest surface area of the block = 1 x 3 = 3m²

The highest pressure,

Applications Of High Pressure
• The examples of application of high pressure
are:
– Sharp Knife
– Ice-Skate
– Sole of shoes with spike
Applications Of Low Pressure
• Foundation of Building
• Snow Shoes
• Ski Board
• Tyre of Tractor
• Feet of Elephant
• Strip of Handbag
• Seat Belt
Applications
Hydrostatic Pressure
1. Liquids and gases are
called fluids, as they can
change their shapes easily.

2. A fluid is a substance that

can flow.

3. In the figure above, we

notice that the water from The only difference between the two
the right container is going container is the height of the water
further than the water column. Hence, we know that the
from the left container. amount of pressure inside a body of
fluids increases with its depth (or
height of fluid column).
Characteristics Of Liquid Pressure
The pressure caused by a liquid has the following
characteristics:

Pressure in liquid does not depends on

– the shape of the container.
– the size of the container.
– the area of its surface.
Characteristics Of Liquid Pressure
Pressure increases Vs depth
Pressure increases with depth
• The deeper the liquid, the faster the liquid
spurts out.
• In conclusion, the pressure in a liquid
increases with depth.
Pressure depend on Depth
• Pressure depends on the vertical depth, but
not the length of liquid column.
Pressure In Liquid
• Pressure in liquid is owing to the weight of the
liquid acting on the surface of any objects in the
liquid.
• Pressure of a liquid is directly proportional to
– the gravitational field strength
– the depth
– density of the liquid.
• Pressure in liquids is not affected by the size or
shape of the object.
Pressure In Liquid
Pressure due to a fluid column (p)
= height of column (h) X density of the fluid (ρ) X
gravitational field strength (g).

(The derivation of this formula can be found at the bottom of this post.)

P=ρgh
Properties (Summary)
• Pressure is transmitted throughout the liquid
• Pressure acts in all directions
• All points at the same depth in a fluid are at
the same pressure
• Pressure increases with depth
• Pressure is dependent not on the shape of the
container but on its depth.
Pressure Caused by Liquid
• The pressure caused by a liquid and the
pressure in a liquid can be determined by
using the equation below:

Pressure Caused by Liquid

Absolute/Total Pressure
• Pressure in Liquid
Pressure In Liquid - Example 1
The diagram shows 2 fishes in water. The density of the water is
1025 kg/m³. The surface area of fish A is 300 cm² and the surface
area of fish B is 2000cm². Find

a. the pressure exerted by the water on fish A.

b. the pressure exerted by the water on fish B.
c. the force exerted by the water on fish A.
d. the force exerted by the water on fish B.
Answer:
This question would like us to compare the liquid pressure
exerted on 2 objects of different size in the same depth of water.

a. Depth, h = 2m
Density, ρ = 1025 kg/m³
Gravitational Field Strength, g = 10 N/kg

Pressure exerted by water on fish A,

Answer
b. Pressure exerted by water on fish B,

(Note: Pressure exerted both fishes are the same. Pressure caused
by liquid is not affected by the size or shape of the objects)
Answer
c. Surface area of fish A, A1 = 300 cm² = 0.03 m²

Force exerted by the liquid pressure,

Answer
d. Surface area of fish B, A2 = 2000cm² = 0.2 m²

Force exerted by the liquid pressure,

Pressure In Liquid - Example 2
Figure above shows the cross section of a sea near a
seaside. Find the difference of the pressure between point A
and point B. [Density of seawater = 1050kg/m³]

Answer:
Density, ρ = 1050kg/m³
Gravitational Field Strength, g = 10 N/kg

At point A:
Depth, h = 0.8 m
Answer
• At point B:
Depth, h = 3 m

• Pressure Difference
Pressure In Liquid - Example 3
Example 3:
Find the absolute pressure at a depth of 20 m in water when the atmospheric
pressure is 100000 Pa. The density of water is 1000 kg/m³.

Answer:
(Caution: Pressure in liquid = Pressure caused by liquid + Atmospheric
Pressure)

Depth, h = 20m
Density,  = 1000 kg/m³
Gravitational Field Strength, g = 10 N/kg
Atmospheric Pressure, Patm = 100000 Pa

Pressure in water,
Hydraulic systems
Car lift:
One simple application is shown in the diagram above, the lifting of a car. If there is a relatively small
force F1, pushing down on piston A1, the pressure on the fluid is

– The pressure is transmitted via the

incompressible fluid to the other piston A2:

• If the area A2 is made much larger than that of A1, the force F1 is now ‘multiplied’ many
folds.
• This force, F2 can be used to lift very heavy objects such as cars.
Pressure In Liquid - The U-Tube
• Usually, a U-tube is used to compare and
measure density of liquids.
• The density of the 2 liquids is related by the
equation:
U-Tube - Example 1
Figure above shows a U-tube filled with water and liquid P. Liquid P
is insoluble in water.
Given that the density of water is 1000kg/m³, find the density of
liquid P if h1 is 10 cm and h2 is 12 cm.

Answer:
h1 = 10cm
h2 = 12 cm
ρ1 = 1000kg/m³
ρ2 = ?

Ans: The density of liquid P = 833 kg/m³

U-Tube - Example 2
The diagram shows a U-tube filled with two types of liquid, X and
Y which are not mixable. If the density of liquid X and liquid Y are
1200 kg/m³ and 800 kg/m³ respectively, find the value of h2.

Answer:
h1 = 10cm
h2 = h
ρ1 = 1200 kg/m³
ρ2 = 800 kg/m³
Summary - Pressure
Pressure
1. Force acting per unit area
2. P = Force/Area
3. Pressure due to a column of liquid of depth
h(without atm pressure) p=hρg
4. Absolute pressure at base of column of fluid
p=hρg + atmospheric pressure at liquid
surface
Applications Of Pressure In Liquid
• Dam
• Submarine
• Measuring Blood Pressure
• Intravenous Transfusion
• Water Tower
Barometer
Barometer
A barometer is a simple
instrument for measuring
atmospheric pressure.
– A barometer can be made by filling
up a long glass tube with mercury,
then turning it upside down in a
bath of mercury as shown.
– The space at the top of the
barometer tube is a vacuum and
exerts no pressure on the mercury
column.
Archimedes Principle
Buoyancy
Upthrust or buoyancy force
• An upward force on a body produced by the
surrounding fluid (i.e., a liquid or a gas) in which it
is fully or partially immersed, due to the pressure
difference of the fluid between the top and bottom
of the object
• Net upward buoyancy force is equal to the
magnitude of the weight of fluid displaced by the
body
 Upthrust = ρVg
Or
Upthrust = mass of liquid displaced x g = mg
Archimedes Principle
• Mathematically, we write

F=ρVg
   F = Upthrust/Buoyant Force
    ρ = Density of the liquid
    V = Volume of the displaced liquid
    g = Gravitational field strength
Archimedes Principle
States that the upthrust experienced by an
object partially or entirely immersed in a fluid is
equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the
object

– Can be applied to objects of all shapes and sizes

– An object floats in equilibrium if the upthrust =
weight of object
– An object sinks if upthrust < weight of object
Archimedes Principle - Example 1
Example 1:
Determine the upthrust acted on the objects immerse
in the water below.
a) c)

b)
Answer:
a. Upthrust = Weight of the displaced water = 15N

b. Upthrust = Weight of the displaced water = 32N

c. Upthrust = Weight of the displaced water = 20N

Example 2:
An iron block which has volume 0.3m³ is immersed
in water. Find the upthrust exerted on the block by
the water. [Density of water = 1000 kg/m³]

Answer:
Density of water, ρ = 1000 kg/m³
Volume of water, V = 0.3 m³
Gravitational Field Strength, g = 10 N/kg
Upthrust, F = ?
Archimedes Principle
Example 3:
Figure below shows an empty boat floating at rest on
water. Given that the mass of the boat is 150kg. Find:
1. the upthrust acting on the boat.
2. The mass of the water displaced by the boat.
3. The maximum mass that the boat can load safely if
the volume of the boat at the safety level is 3.0 m³.
Answer:
a. According to the principle of flotation, the upthrust is equal
to the weight of the boat.

Upthrust,
F = Weight of the boat
= mg = (150)(10) = 1500N

b. According to the Archimedes' Principle, the weight of the water

displaced = Upthrust

Weight of the displaced water,

W = mg
(1500) = m(10)
m = 150kg
Answer:
c. Maximum weight can be sustained by the boat

• Maximum weight of the load

= Maximum weight sustained - Weight of the boat
= 30,000 – 1,500 = 28,500N

Maximum mass of the load

= 28500/10 = 2850 kg
Example 4
In figure above, a cylinder is immersed in water. If the
height of the cylinder is 20cm, the density of the cylinder is
600kg/m³ and the density of the liquid is 1000 kg/m³, find:

a. The weight of the object

b. The buoyant force

Answer:
a.
600
Answer:
b. Volume of the displaced water
= 50 x 12 = 600cm³
= 0.0006m³
Density of the water, ρ = 1000 kg/m³
Upthrust, F = ?
Example 5
The density and mass of a metal block are
5.0×103 kg m-3 and 4.0kg respectively. Find the
upthrust that act on the metal block when it is fully
immerse in water.
[ Density of water = 1000 kgm-3 ]
Example 5
Answer:
In order to find the upthrust, we need to find the volume of the
water displaced. Since the block is fully immersed in water, hence
the volume of the water displaced = volume of the block.

Volume of the block,

Upthrust acted on the block,

Archimedes Principle - Example 6
A metal block that has volume of 0.2 m³ is hanging in a water tank as
shown in the figure to the left.
What is the tension of the string? [ Density of the metal = 8 × 10³
kg/m³, density of water = 1 × 10³ kg/m³]

Answer:
Let,
Tension = T
Weight = W
Upthrust = F
Answer:
• Diagram below shows the 3 forces acted on
the block.

• The 3 forces are in equilibrium, hence

Archimedes Principle - Example 7
Example 7:
A wooden sphere of density 0.9 g/cm³ and mass 180 g, is
anchored by a string to a lead weight at the bottom of a
vessel containing water. If the wooden sphere is
completely immersed in water, find the tension in the
string.

Answer:
Let's draw the diagram that illustrate the situation:
Answer:
• We need to determine the volume of the displaced water
to find the upthrust.
Let the volume of the wooden sphere = V

• Let,
Tension = T
Weight = W
Upthrust = F = (1000 - 900)(0.0002)(10)
= 0.2 N

All the 3 forces are in equilibrium, hence

Archimedes Principle - Example 8
Figure below shows a copper block rest on the bottom of a vessel
filled with water. Given that the volume of the block is 1000cm³.
Find the normal reaction acted on the block.
[Density of water = 1000 kg/m³; Density of copper = 3100 kg/m³]

Answer:
Volume of the block, V = 1000cm³ = 0.001m³

Let,
Normal Reaction = R
Weight = W
Upthrust = F
Answer:
• Diagram below shows the 3 forces acted on
the block. R F

W
• All the 3 forces are in equilibrium, hence
Application Of Archimedes Principle
1.  Ship
– A ship floats on the surface of the sea because the volume
of water displaced by the ship is enough to have a weight
equal to the weight of the ship.
– The Plimsoll line is an imaginary line marking the level at
which a ship or boat floats in the water.
It indicates how much load is allowed at different types of
water.
2. Airship
– Air ship is filled with helium gas.
– Helium gas has density lower than the surrounding air,
hence an upthrust which higher than the weight of the
airship can be produced and cause the airship float in the
air.
Application Of Archimedes Principle
3. Hot Air Balloon
– Hot air in the balloon has lower density than the surrounding air.
– As a result, when the buoyant force produced is higher than the
weight of the balloon, the balloon will start rising up.
–  It becomes stationary when the weight equals the buoyant force.
– The altitude of the balloon can be controlled by varying the
temperature of the air in the balloon. (Or quantity of Hot air)
Application Of Archimedes Principle
4. Hydrometers
– Hydrometer is used to measure relative density of liquids.
– How deep the hydrometer sink into the liquid is affected by
the density of the liquid.
– The lower the density of the liquid, the deeper the
hydrometer will sink.
– This is used as the indicator of relative density of a liquid.
5. Submarine
– A submarine use ballast tank to control its movement up and
down.
To get submerge, water is pumped into the ballast tank to
increase the weight of the submarine.
To surface, the water is pumped out to reduce the weight of
the submarine.
Archimedes Principle - Structure Question 1
Answer
Diagram (a) above shows a metal block supported by a spring balance.
Diagram (b) shows the block partially immerses in water while diagram
(c) shows the block fully immerses in water.

What is the mass of the metal block?

W = mg
(20) = m(10)
m = 2kg

In diagram b), the reading of the balance became 14N.

i. What is the effective weight loss of the block when partially immense in
Weight
water loss =in20diagram
as shown – 14 = (b)?
6N
  [6 N]
[6 N]
ii. What is the value of the upthrust that act on the block?  
iii. Find the weight of the displaced water?
Answer
In diagram c), when the block is fully immerse in water, the
reading of the spring balance became 10N.
a) Name 3 forces that acted on the block.
Weight, tension of the string, upthrust

b) State and explain the relationship between the forces in (c) (i)
Both the tension and the upthrust act upward, the weight
acts downward. The block doesn’t move. Therefore, all
forces are in equilibrium.

Weight = Tension of the String + Upthrust

c) Find the volume of the block. [Density of water = 1000 kg m-3]

Mass of the displaced water = 1 kg, volume = 0.001 m 3
d) Name the principle you used in the calculation in question (c) (iii).
Archimedes’ Principle

e) What will happen to the reading of the spring balance if the water
is replaced with cooking oil.
Increase

f) Explain your answer in (c) (v)

The upthrust produced is directly proportional to the density.
The cooking has lower density. Therefore the upthrust produced
is lower. As a result, the weight loss caused by the upthrust will
decrease and the reading of the spring balance will increase.
Archimedes Principle - Structure Question 2
Structure Question 2
Figure above shows a glass tube with cross-sectional area of 10
cm² and mass 10 g. It is filled with lead shots and immerse in
water. The tube floats upright in the water. [Density of water is
1 g/cm³]

a) State the name of this device.

Hydrometer
b) State one use of this device in a laboratory.
To measure the density of liquids.
c) Explain the function of the lead shots in the glass tube?
To lower down the centre of gravity of the glass tube so
that it does not topple when immerse in water.
Structure Question 2
d) The length of the glass tube immerse in water is 12 cm.
Calculate

i) the volume of water displaced by the glass tube

A = 10 cm²
h = 12 cm
Let the volume of water = V
V = hA = (12)(10) = 120 cm³

ii) the weight of the displaced water.

Mass of the displaced water = 120g = 0.12 kg

Weight of the displaced water = mg = 0.12 x 10 = 1.2 N
Structure Question 2
e) The glass tube together with the lead shots are then placed inside a
container that filled with cooking oil. Again, the tube floats upright.

i) What can be observed in the part of tube that is immerse in the

oil when compared with the condition in figure above?

Longer

ii) Explain your answer in (b)(i).

The density of the oil is lower than the water.

Therefore, the volume of oil displaced is greater than the
volume of the water displaced to produce the upthrust of same
magnitude.
Archimedes Principle - Structure Question 3

A balloon filled with helium gas. The volume of the balloon is

120cm³. [Density of air = 1.23kg/m³. Density of helium gas =
0.18 kg/m³]

a) Calculate the mass of the helium gas in the

balloon?

Find the weight of the helium gas?

Anwer Q3
b) The balloon is then tied to a load of mass
m kg, as shown in figure above. The balloon and
the load float in the air stationary.

i) Mark in the diagram, all the forces that acted on the balloon.
Anwer Q3
ii) Write an equation to relate all the forces in b).
All the 3 forces are in equilibrium
Upthrust = Weight of the Load + Weight of Helium Gas

iii) Calculate the mass of the load, m.

Anwer Q3
c)If the string that is tied to the balloon is cut,
Find upward acceleration experienced by the
balloon?
Net force acted on the balloon = mg = (1.26 x 10-4)(10) = 1.26 x 10-3N
Mass of the helium gas, m = 2.16 x 10-5kg
What do you understand?
The results of the experiments with water are
shown in Figure 9.13, along with the
corresponding free-body diagrams. In every
case, the magnitude of the buoyant force acting
on the block is equal to the weight of the fluid
displaced by the block.