LESSON 3.

1 Understanding

Definition and the S.I unit of Pressure (P) Pressure is defined as the force acting normally on a unit of surface area. Or @ Pressure = Normal force Area @ P = F A P = Pressure F = Force A = Surface area The S.I. of pressure is (Pa) Example 1 On a table is a full box of groceries which has a weight of 160 N. The area of the base of the box is 0.2 m2 . What is the pressure between the box and the table top? Solution Nm-2 or pascal

Application of pressure

(1) The surface area of the head of

Example 2 A metal block with the dimensions of 0.05 m x 0.10 m x 0.20 m is placed on a floor. If the mass of the metal block is 0.5 kg , what is (a) the maximum pressure and (b) the minimum pressure that can exerted by the metal block on the floor Solution

thumbtack is large but the crosssectional area of tip of the thumbtack is small. The high pressure of the tip causes the thumbtack to go into the wood easily. (2) A ladys high heel shoe with a small base exerts a higher pressure than a man shoe with a flat base. (3) A smaller area of the edge of knife causes the knife can cut and penetrates hard materials. (4) Walking over deep snow is difficult and tiring because your feet sink at every steps. Skies or snowshoes make it much easier because they stop you from sinking in. The skies causes the pressure becomes smaller. (5) The sole of an ice is fixed a narrow metal bar. The high pressure on surface of the ice so that the ice melts and allowing the ice skater to glide smoothly . (6) Racing bicycles need very high air pressure inside the tyres, because the narrow tyres have a very small contact area with the road. The hard road surface can support the high pressure under the wheels. (7) Heavy vehicles which travel over soft ground need very wide tyres. This provides a large contact area and a lower pressure against the ground and prevents them sinking in. (8) A high building possesses a huge surface so that the lower pressure acting on it prevents the building from sinking into the ground. (9) Studs on the soles of a pair of football give the player a better
1

grip of the ground as he dribbles the or running on the field . (10) An elephant is able to move on soft ground or mud because the large area of its feet reduces the pressure on the ground. 4

C D

the low pressure between the edge of the metal bar and the ice freezes the high pressure between the edge of the metal bar and the ice freezes

A wooden block with the dimensions of 3 m x 4 m x 5 m is placed on a floor. If the mass of the metal block is 400 kg , what is the maximum pressure that can exerted by the metal block on the floor? A 100 N m- 2 B 200 N m -2 -2 C 333 N m D 480 N m -2 E 620 Nm- 2 5 The mass of a boy is 60 kg. The pressure exerted by the boy on a floor is 2 x 10 4 Pa. What is the area of contact between the shoes base of the boy and the floor. A 1.2 x 10 2 m-2 B 3.0 x 10-2 C 4.5 x 10-2 m-2 m-2 E 8.0 x 10-2 m-2 D 6.0 x 10-2

TUTORIA L1
1 1 Pa is equivalent to A 1 N m2 B C 1 N m-2 D 1 m N-2 1 m N2

m-2

Figure shows a wooden block on a horizontal surface. The block will exert maximum pressure on a horizontal surface if it is resting on its face

The figure shows a school bag.

What is the function of x? A B C A C 3 STUV WXY B Z TWXU D UVXY 7 D to increase weight and to increase pressure to increase surface area and to decrease pressure to decrease weight and to decrease pressure to decrease surface area and to increase weight

An ice skater is able to glide smoothly across the surface of the ice because A the low pressure between the edge of the metal bar and the ice melts B the high pressure between the edge of the metal bar and the ice melts
2

The mass of a tractor is 4000 kg. The area of contact between a tractors tyre and the soft ground is 0.5 m2. The tractor has four tyres. (a) Calculate (i) the total area of contact between the tractors tyre and the soft ground.

(ii) the pressure exerted by the tractor on the soft ground. (b) Explain why a car cannot moves on the soft ground although the mass of the car is less than the mass of the tractor?

........ (b) Explain why the difference of the observations occur? .

...................................................... . ............. (c) Relate your answers in(a) and (b) to ...................................................... deduce the a concept in physics. ............. (c) What happens to the area of . contact between the tractors tyre and the soft ground if the air pressure inside the tyres is decreased? . (d) A man wearing snowshoes applies a ...................................................... pressure ........... of 2500 Pa . If the area covered by a snowshoe ...................................................... is 0.15 m2,what is the mass of the ............. man? Figure (a) shows two different situations of a woman wearing a high heel shoes and then wearing a flat shoes. Figure(b) shows two different 9 Figure(a) and Figure(b) show two situations of a skier without wearing ways in which a gardener moves a snow shoes and then wearing wheelbarrow on a muddy road. snowshoes.

Figure(a) Figure(a) Figure(b)

Figure(b) (a) Observe the Figure (a) and Figure (b) ,state two observations about the surface area contact , the depth of sinking and the force involved. .

(a) On Figure(a) and Figure(b) ,indicate and label: (i) the direction of force F exerted by the gardener on the handle of each wheelbarrow to make it move. (ii) the direction of the vertical component Fy , of the force in (a)(i)

(b) (i) Based on the answers in (a)(i) and (a)(ii), which of the ways is more suitable on the muddy road? (ii) Explain the reason for your answer in (b)(i). .. (c) The wheel of the wheelbarrow exerted pressure on the muddy road . The resultant force exerted by the wheel on the road surface is 500 N and the area of the wheel in contact with the road is 2 x 10-3 m2. (i) What does the word pressure mean? (ii) Calculate the pressure exerted on the surface of the muddy road.

Figure(b) shows two conditions a handwriting by using a pencil before and after it is sharpen.

Figure(a)

Figure(b) (a) Observe the Figure (a) and Figure (b). (b) Compare the depth of sinking the pencil in the plasticine, the conditions of the pencil ,the load and the conditions of the handwriting. Relate the comparisons to deduce a concept in physics .

(b) Explain why a footballer likes Ronaldinho wearing a football boot has sharp studs? 12 Figure below shows a tractor and a car moving on the same surface of the muddy road.

(iii) State one modification that could be made to the wheelbarrow to reduce the pressure exerted on the road. Explain your answer. .. 11 .. Figure(a) shows two situations of a pencil with a load is placed on the top of the pencil sinking into a plasticine before and after it is sharpen

Observe the depth of sinking of the tractors and the cars tyres. Based on the observations: (a) State one suitable inference that can be made.
4

hypothesis for an investigation. (c) With the use of apparatus such as plasticine, wooden rod and other apparatus , describe an experimental framework to test your hypothesis. In your description , state clearly the following: (i) Aim of the experiment (ii) Variables in the experiment (iii) List of apparatus and materials (iv) Arrangement of the apparatus (v) The procedure of the experiment which include the method of controlling the manipulated variable and the method of measuring the responding variable. (vi) Way you would tabulate the data (vii) Way you would analysis the data

(b) State one appropriate