FORCE & AREA

• Pressure is the concentration of a force:

o If a force is spread over a large area it will result in a small pressure.
o If it is spread over a small area it will result in a large pressure.

When you push a drawing pin, it goes into the surface (rather than your finger)
because the force on the surface is more concentrated

Examples:

• Tractors have big tyres. This spreads the weight (force) of the tractor over a
large area, reducing the pressure which prevents the heavy tractor from
sinking into mud.
• Nails have sharp pointed ends with a very small area. This concentrates the
force, creating a large pressure which allows the nail to be hammered into a
wall.

• Pressure is related to force and area by the equation:

• You can rearrange this equation with the help of the formula triangle:

Use the formula triangle to help you rearrange the equation

Unit of Pressure

• The units of pressure depend on the units of area:

o If the area is measured in cm2 (and the force in N), then the pressure
will be in N/cm2.
o If the area is measured in m2 (and the force in N), then the pressure
will be in N/m2.
• Pressure can also be measured in Pascals, Pa.
1 Pa is the same as 1 N/m2.

EXAMPLE
CHARACTERISTICS OF FLUIDS

• Liquids and gases are considered to be fluids because they yield to shearing
forces, whereas solids resist them.
• Like solids, the molecules in a liquid are bonded to neighbouring molecules, but
possess many fewer of these bonds.
• The molecules in a liquid are not locked in place and can move with respect to
each other.
• The distance between molecules is similar to the distances in a solid, and so
liquids have definite volumes, but the shape of a liquid changes, depending on
the shape of its container.
• Gases are not bonded to neighbouring atoms and can have large separations
between molecules.
• Gases have neither specific shapes nor definite volumes, since their molecules
move to fill the container in which they are held

• Liquids deform easily when stressed and do not spring back to their original
shape once a force is removed.
• This occurs because the atoms or molecules in a liquid are free to slide about
and change neighbours.
• That is, liquids flow (so they are a type of fluid), with the molecules held
together by mutual attraction.
• When a liquid is placed in a container with no lid, it remains in the container.
• Because the atoms are closely packed, liquids, like solids, resist compression;
an extremely large force is necessary to change the volume of a liquid.
• In contrast, atoms in gases are separated by large distances, and the forces
between atoms in a gas are therefore very weak, except when the atoms
collide with one another.
• This makes gases relatively easy to compress and allows them to flow (which
makes them fluids). When placed in an open container, gases, unlike liquids,
will escape.

In this chapter, we generally refer to both gases and liquids simply as fluids,
making a distinction between them only when they behave differently
DENSITY

• Density is an important characteristic of substances. It is crucial, for example,

in determining whether an object sinks or floats in a fluid.

Definition: Mass per unit volume

• The SI unit of density is kg/m3. (Figure) lists some representative values. The
unit of density is the gram per cubic centimeter, g/cm3, where

1g/cm3=1000kg/m3.

Densities of Some Common Substances

ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

• At sea level the atmosphere exerts a pressure upon all surfaces.

• This pressure is caused by the weight of the atmosphere pushing against
those surfaces.

Atmospheric Pressure : Force per unit area exerted against a surface by the
weight of air particle in Earth’s atmosphere

Effect of height on atmospheric pressure

• As you go traveller higher into the atmosphere the amount of atmosphere

above you decreases, and this causes its weight to decrease, reducing the
pressure.
• At higher altitude, the density and temperature of the air are lower, so the
number of collisions between molecules are less- so the pressure is lower

UNIT FOR ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

UNDERSTANDING PRESSURE IN LIQUID

• The pressure in a liquid is caused by the weight of the liquid pushing against
objects immersed in the liquid.

• As the liquid becomes deeper, the amount of liquid (and hence its weight)
increases. This causes the pressure to increase.

• The weight of the liquid also depends on its density. A more dense liquid
has a greater weight and hence will exert a greater pressure.

CALCULATING PRESSURE IN LIQUID

• The size of this pressure depends upon the density (ρ) of the liquid, the depth
(h) of the object and the gravitational field strength (g):

FORMULA:

• In the above equation:

o Pressure is in Pascals (Pa) – where 1 Pa if the same as 1 N/m2.
o Depth is in metres (m)
o Density is in kg/m3.
o The gravitational field strength on Earth is approximately 10 N/kg.
(You will always be given this figure).
• When an object is immersed in a fluid, the fluid exerts a pressure upon the
object.
• This pressure is in addition to the pressure already exerted by the atmosphere.

• Example : An object at sea level experiences a pressure of 100 kPa due to

the atmosphere.

• If this object is now immersed to a depth of 10 metre underwater, it will also

experience a pressure of 100 kPa due to the water.

• This means that the object will experience a total pressure of 200 kPa due to
both the atmosphere and the water.

• When an object is immersed in a liquid, the liquid will exert a pressure,

squeezing the object.

• This pressure is exerted evenly across the whole surface of the liquid, and in
all directions.

Pressure, at a point in a liquid, acts equally in all directions

• The greater the depth of the liquid, the greater the pressure.
• The greater the density of the liquid, the greater the pressure.
Example 1

Example 2

a) State one factor that affect the liquid pressure in the tank.
Nyatakan satu faktor yang mempengaruhi tekanan cecair dalam sebuah
tangki.

b) When the level of the water decreases, what will happen to distance x?
Apabila paras air berkurung, apakah akan berlaku kepada jarak, x?

c) Compare the water pressure at P and Q.

Bandingkan tekanan air di P dan di Q.

d) Calculate the water pressure at Q. [Density of water = 1 000 kgm-3]

Hitung tekanan air di Q. [Ketumpatan air = 1 000 kgm-3]
PASCAL PRINCIPLE

Pascal’s Principle states that when pressure is applied to an enclosed fluid,

the pressure will be transmitted equally throughout the whole enclose fluid.

PASCAL PRINCIPLE IN MATHEMATICAL EXPRESSION

 EXAMPLE

1. Diagram shows a basic hydraulic system which has a small piston and
a large piston with cross sectional areas of 0.004 m2 and 0.2 m2.

Rajah menunjukkan sistem hidraulik ringkas yang mempunyai omboh

kecil dan omboh besar masing-masing dengan luas keratan rentas
0.004 m2 dan 0.2 m2

a) Calculate the weight of the load X

Hitung berat beban X

b) How many times do the force multiplied by the hydraulic system in Diagram?
Berapakah gandaan daya terhasil bagi sistem hidraulik dalam Rajah?

c) State one characteristic of a liquid used in the hydraulic system.

Nyatakan satu ciri bagi cecair yang digunakan dalam sistem hidraulik.