TREE HOUSE HIGH SCHOOL, KARVENAGAR, PUNE

CH4(A) - PRESSURE IN FLUIDS AND ATMOSPHERIC

PRESSURE

GR – IX

Q 1. Define the term thrust. State its S.I. unit.

Ans. Thrust is the force acting normally on a surface.
Its S.I. unit is 'newton'.

Q2. What is meant by pressure? State its S.I. unit.

Ans. Pressure is the thrust per unit area of the surface.
Its S.I. unit is 'newton per metre2' or 'pascal'.

Q3. Define one pascal (Pa), the S.I. unit of pressure.

Ans. One pascal is the pressure exerted on a surface of area 1 m2 by a force of 1N
acting normally on it.

Q4. Differentiate between thrust and pressure.

Ans. Thrust is the force applied on a surface in a perpendicular direction and it is a
vector quantity. The effect of thrust per unit area is pressure, and it is a scalar
quantity.

Q5. How does the pressure exerted by thrust depend on the area of surface on
which it acts? Explain with a suitable example.
Ans. Pressure exerted by thrust is inversely proportional to area of surface on which
it acts. Thus, larger the area on which the thrust acts, lesser is the pressure exerted
by it.
Example: If we stand on loose sand, our feet sink into the sand, but if we lie on that
sand, our body does not sink into the sand. In both the cases, the thrust exerted on
the sand is equal (equal to the weight of the body). However, when we lie on sand,
the thrust acts on a large area and when we stand, the same thrust acts on a small
area.

Q6. Why is the tip of an allpin made sharp?

Ans. The tip of an allpin is made sharp so that large pressure is exerted at the sharp
end and it can be driven into with less effort.

Q7. Explain the following statements:

(a) It is easier to cut with a sharp knife than with a blunt one.
(b) Sleepers are laid below the rails.
Ans. (a) It is easier to cut with a sharp knife because even a small thrust causes
great pressure at the edges and cutting can be done with less effort.
(b) Wide wooden sleepers are placed below the railway tracks so that the pressure
exerted by the rails on the ground becomes less.
Q8. What is a fluid? What do you mean by the term fluid pressure? Describe a
simple experiment to demonstrate that a liquid enclosed in a vessel exerts
pressure in all directions.
Ans. A substance which can flow is called a fluid. Due to its weight, a fluid exerts
pressure in all directions; the pressure exerted by the fluid is called fluid pressure.
Take a can or large plastic bottle filled with water. Place it on a horizontal surface.
Make a series of holes in the wall of the vessel anywhere below the free surface of
the liquid. The water spurts out through each hole. This shows that the liquid exerts
pressure at each point on the wall of the bottle.

Liquid exerts pressure at all points in all directions

Q9. State three factors on which the pressure at a point in a liquid depends.
Write an expression for the pressure at a point inside a liquid. Explain the
meaning of the symbols used.
Ans. Pressure at a point in a liquid depends upon the following three factors:
(i) Depth of the point below the free surface.
(ii) Density of liquid.
(iii) Acceleration due to gravity.
P = Po + h g
Here, P = Pressure exerted at a point in the liquid
Po = Atmospheric pressure
h = Depth of the point below the free surface
= Density of the liquid
g = Acceleration due to gravity

Q10. Deduce an expression for the pressure at depth inside a liquid.

Ans. Consider a vessel containing a liquid of density . Let the liquid be stationary.
In order to calculate pressure at a depth, consider a horizontal circular surface PQ of
area A at a depth h below the free surface XY of the liquid. The pressure on the
surface PQ will be due to the thrust of the liquid contained in cylinder PQRS of height
h with PQ as its base and top face RS lying on the frees surface XY of the liquid.

Total thrust exerted on the surface PQ

= Weight of the liquid column PQRS
= Volume of liquid column PQRS x density x g
= (Area of base PQ x height) x density x g
= (A x h) x xg
This thrust is exerted on the surface PQ of area A. Therefore, pressure is given as
shown below.
P = Thrust on surface / Area of surface
P = Ah g / A = h g
Thus, Pressure = depth x density of liquid x acceleration due to gravity

Q11.How does the pressure at a certain depth in sea water differ from that at
the same depth in river water? Explain your answer.
Ans. Due to dissolved salts, density of sea water is more than the density of river
water, so pressure at a certain depth in sea water is more than that at the same
depth in river water.

Q12. Explain why a gas bubble released at the bottom of a lake grows in size
as it rises to the surface of the lake.
Ans. The reason is that when the bubble is at the bottom of the lake, total pressure
exerted on it is the atmospheric pressure plus the pressure due to water column. As
the gas bubble rises, due to decrease in depth the pressure due to water column
decreases. By Boyle's law, PV = constant, so the volume of bubble increases due to
decrease in pressure, i.e., the bubble grows in size.

Q13. A dam has broader walls at the bottom than at the top. Explain.
Ans. The pressure exerted by a liquid increase with its depth. Thus, as depth
increases, more and more pressure is exerted by water on wall of the dam. A thicker
wall is required to withstand greater pressure, therefore, the thickness of the wall of
dam increases towards the bottom.

Q14.Why do sea divers need special protective suit?

Ans. The sea divers need special protective suit to wear because in deep sea, the
total pressure exerted on the diver's body is much more than his blood pressure. To
withstand it, he needs to wear a special protective suit.

Q15. State the laws of liquid pressure.

Ans. Laws of liquid pressure:
(i) Pressure at a point inside the liquid increases with the depth from its free surface.
(ii) In a stationary liquid, pressure is same at all points on a horizontal plane.
(iii) Pressure is same in all directions about a point in the liquid.
(iv) Pressure at same depth is different in different liquids. It increases with the
increase in the density of liquid.
(v) A liquid seeks its own level.

Q16. A tall vertical cylinder filled with water is kept on a horizontal table top.
Two small holes A and B are made on the wall of the cylinder, one near the
bottom and other just below the free surface of water. State and explain your
observation.
Ans. The liquid from hole B reaches a greater distance on the horizontal surface than
that from hole A. This explains that liquid pressure at a point increases with the
depth of point from the free surface.

Q17. How does the liquid pressure on a diver change if:

(i) the diver moves to the greater depth, and
(ii) The diver moves horizontally?
Ans. (i) As the diver moves to a greater depth, pressure exerted by sea water on him
also increases.
(ii) When the diver moves horizontally, his depth from the free surface remains
constant and hence the pressure on him remains unchanged.

Q18. State Pascal's law of transmission of pressure. Name two applications of

Pascal's law.
Ans. Pascal's law states that the pressure exerted anywhere in a confined liquid is
transmitted equally and undiminished in all directions throughout the liquid.
Two applications of Pascal's law:
(i) Hydraulic press
(ii) Hydraulic jack

Q19. Explain the principle of hydraulic machine. Name and state the principle
of hydraulic press. Write one use of hydraulic press
Ans. The principle of a hydraulic machine is that a small force applied on a smaller
piston is transmitted to produce a large force on the bigger piston. Hydraulic press
and hydraulic brakes work on this principle. Hydraulic press works on principle of
hydraulic machine. It states that a small force applied on a smaller piston is
transmitted to produce a large force on the bigger piston. Use: It is used for
squeezing oil out of linseed and cotton seeds.

Q20.Draw simple diagram of Hydraulic jack and explain its working.

Working: When handle H of the lever is pressed down by applying an effort, the
valve V opens because of increase in pressure in cylinder P. The liquid runs out from
the cylinder P to the cylinder Q. As a result, the piston B rises up and it raises the car
placed on the platform. When the car reaches the desired height, the handle H of the
lever is no longer pressed. The valve V gets closed (since the pressure on the either
side of the valve becomes same) so that the liquid may not run back from the
cylinder Q to cylinder P.
Q21.Draw simple diagram of Hydraulic break and explain its working.
Ans.
Working: To apply brakes, the foot pedal is pressed due to which pressure is
exerted on the liquid in the master cylinder P, so liquid runs out from the master
cylinder P to the wheel cylinder Q. As a result, the pressure is transmitted
equally and undiminished through the liquid to the pistons B1 and B2 of the
wheel cylinder. Therefore, the pistons B1 and B2 get pushed outwards and brake
shoes get pressed against the rim of the wheel due to which the motion of the
vehicle retards. Due to transmission of pressure through the liquid, equal
pressure is exerted on all the wheels of the vehicle connected to the pipe line R.
On releasing the pressure on the pedal, the liquid runs back from the wheel
cylinder Q to the master cylinder P and the spring pulls the break shoes to their
original position and forces the pistons B1 and B2 to return back into the wheel
cylinder Q. Thus, the brakes get released.