3.

1
Understanding
Pressure
Chapter 3 Forces and Pressure

Learning Outcomes
1. Define pressure and state that

2. Describe the application od pressure

3. Solve problems involving pressure

What is Pressure?

Pressure cookers are used for cooking

food more quickly than conventional
cooking methods

Water pressure in fountain forces

the water spray high in the air
High air pressure in a car tyre
helps it to support a heavy load.

Pressure

Pressure

is defined as a perpendicular force

acting on one unit of a surface.

F=

Force acting perpendicularly on a

surface, in newtons (N)

= Surface area, in square metres (

The
1

SI unit: pascal (Pa)

Pa = 1 N

Pressure

The

pressure exerted by a force on a surface

depends on the force as well as the area of the
surface.

The

pressure of a given force increase as the

surface area decreases.
Which shoe exerted more
higher pressure to the
ground?

Pressure

The base of high heeled shoe is

small, as a result, the pressure
that acts on the ground is
greater

The base of flat shoe is large, as

a result, the pressure that acts
on the ground is less.

Pressure
The

pressure on a surface also depends on

the direction the force is applied.

If

a force acts at a known angle to a

surface, only the component of the force
which is perpendicular to the surface is
used to determine the pressure.

Exercise

Figure shows a cardboard box placed on a soft ground in

two different orientations.

Calculate the pressure exerted on the soft ground in each

case.

The
figure shows a student pressing a drawing pin with a
force of 15N into a piece of wood. The surface area of the head
of the pin is 1 c and the cross-sectional area of the tip of the
pin is 0.01c.

Calculate

(a) the pressure exerted by the students thumb on the head

of the drawing pin.

(b) the pressure of the tip of the drawing pin on the wood.

The pressure exerted by a given force increases as the

surface area decreases.

It is to be noted that the pressure exerted on tip of the

drawing pin is 100 times greater than the pressure
exerted at the head of the drawing pin.

This pressure drives the pin into the wood.

Applications of Pressure in Our

Everyday Life

In our daily life, there are situations which require high

pressure and low pressure.

Application of high pressure

Application of low pressure

Reducing area to
increase pressure
A sharp knife and a pair of
scissors has a very small
surface area on its cutting edge.
So that high pressure can be
exerted to cut object.

Reducing area to
increase pressure

The studs on a football boot have

only a small area of contact with
the ground.
The pressure under the studs is
high enough for them to sink
into the ground, which help
extra grip.

Reducing area to
increase pressure
Ice-skate has a narrow metal
blade fixed to its sole.
The high pressure exerted by
the edge melts the ice allowing
the skater to glide smoothly
across the surface of the ice.

Reducing area to
increase pressure

Increasing area to
reduce pressure
The Foundation of a
building has a large
horizontal base area in
contact with the ground.
This reduces the pressure
beneath so that building
does not sink into the
ground.

Increasing area to
reduce pressure

Skis have a large area to

reduce the pressure on the
snow, so that they do not
sink in too far.

Increasing area to
reduce pressure
The large tyres of a tractor
have large area of contact
with the ground.
The reduced pressure
prevents the tractor from
sinking into the ground

Increasing area to
reduce pressure

Polar bear has wide paws.

Large soles of snow shoes.

Increasing area to
reduce pressure

man placed some durians in a

plastic bag and carried the bag. After
a while, the man noticed that the
plastic bag is torn. Why?

 As

a shop assistant, you are asked to place

some nails bought by a customer in a plastic
bag. However, the plastic bag is very thin and
the nails will likely poke through it.

Suggest

a way to place the nails in the plastic

bag so that the plastic bag will not be poked or
torn by the bails.

Explain

your answer

 Figure

bar.

(a) shows a boy sitting on a horizontal wooden

When

he stand s on the same horizontal bar as

shown in figure(b) it breaks.

(i)

States one physics quantity that

. Remains constant in both figure (a) and figure (b)

. Varies from figure (a) and (b)
(ii) Explain why the bar does not break in (a) but breaks
in (b)

 Diagram

shows a wooden block acted upon

by a force.

What

quantity increases when a greater

applied force is used?

 The

weight of a wooden block with

dimensions 0.2, as shown in the
figure, is 12N

Calculate
(a)

the maximum pressure

(b)

the minimum pressure

 Wen

Hui has a mass of 47 kg. She wears a

pair of high-heeled shoes that cover 405 of
floor area.

(a)

What is the average pressure (in kPa)

that her shoes exert on the floor?

(b)

How does the pressure change when she

puts all her weight on the heel of one shoe
with a surface area of contact of 1.5?