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Pressure and Archemedes Principle

Pressure is defined as the force acting normally per unit area and can be exerted by solids, liquids, or gases. It is calculated using the formula P = F/A, where pressure is a scalar quantity despite being derived from a vector quantity (force). The document also discusses hydrostatic pressure, Pascal's Law, and Archimedes' Principle, explaining how pressure varies with depth in fluids and the behavior of liquids in closed systems.

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Cadane Codner
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17 views5 pages

Pressure and Archemedes Principle

Pressure is defined as the force acting normally per unit area and can be exerted by solids, liquids, or gases. It is calculated using the formula P = F/A, where pressure is a scalar quantity despite being derived from a vector quantity (force). The document also discusses hydrostatic pressure, Pascal's Law, and Archimedes' Principle, explaining how pressure varies with depth in fluids and the behavior of liquids in closed systems.

Uploaded by

Cadane Codner
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Pressure

Pressure is the force acting normally per unit area.


Pressure may be exerted on a surface by a solid, liquid or gas which applies a thrust to a
surface.
Pressure depends on the force (thrust) acting on the surface that experiences the pressure and
the area over which this force is distributed.
𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒏𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒍 (𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓)𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆
𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 =
𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆
𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆
𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 =
𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂
The S.I. unit is then,
𝑵𝒆𝒘𝒕𝒐𝒏 𝑵
𝑷= 𝟐
= 𝟐 = 𝑷𝒂
𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒆 𝒎
Although pressure is calculated from force a vector quantity, pressure is a scalar quantity.
e.g. determine the maximum pressure that can be exerted on a horizontal surface by a
rectangular block of mass 50 kg and dimensions 20cm x 50cm x 1.2m when resting on one of
its faces. The maximum pressure is obtained when the block rests on its smallest face.
(Gravitational field strength = 10 N kg-1)
Recall: F = mg Area = L x W
P= F/A
𝒎𝒈
𝑷=
𝒍𝒙𝒘

𝟓𝟎 𝒌𝒈 𝒙 𝟏𝟎 𝑵 𝒌𝒈−𝟏
𝑷= = 𝟓𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝑷𝒂
𝟎. 𝟐𝟎𝒎 𝒙 𝟎. 𝟓𝟎𝒎
Pressure in fluids
Fluids exert a pressure on objects with which they are in contact.
Pressure due to liquids at rest is called hydrostatic pressure.
Pressure due to liquid = density x height x acceleration due to gravity.
This formula implies that to a point in the liquid at depth, h and to a point on any surface at
depth h in a stationary liquid, the surface can have any direction. The pressure always act at
right angles to the surface and is the same in all directions at particular depth. So regardless
of the orientation of the surface, the pressure at a point on it is given by said formula.
A deep-sea diver experiences a greater pressure at the sea floor than at the surface because of
the weight of water directly above him.
This pressure in a fluid is dependent on:
1. Depth below the surface
2. Density of the fluid

For an object at a depth h below the surface of a pond the pressure equals atmospheric
pressure + the pressure due to the column of water above the object. This latter pressure is
called excess pressure.
The excess pressure pex on an object at point X below the surface is given by:
pex = depth (h) x acceleration due to gravity (g) x density (ρ)
So, the total pressure at point X = pat + hgρ, where pat is atmospheric pressure.
Let’s do questions !
1. Calculate the hydrostatic pressure exerted on the hull of a sunken ship at a point X
that is 1km below the surface of the water. Take the density of the seawater to be 1012
kgm-3 .

Try this for yourselves!

2. A diver working on an oil rig descends to a depth of 820 m. What pressure does he
experience ? (Density of sea water = 1.03 gcm-3 , atmospheric pressure = 1.01 kPa, g
= 10 Nkg-1 ).
At 820m depth, p = ρgh + pat
= 1.03 x 103 kgm-3 x 10 Nkg-1 x 820m + 1.01 x 103 Nm-2
= 8447010 N m-2
= 8.45 kN m-2
= 8.45 kPa
Pascal’s Law
A liquid in a closed vessel behaves differently from an unconfined liquid. This difference is
summed up in Pascal’s law.
Pascal’s law states that:
Pressure applied to any point of a fluid in a closed vessel is transmitted equally to every
other point in the fluid.
This principle forms the basis of many hydraulic systems, for example, braking systems in
motor vehicles and hydraulic jacks for raising motor vehicles.
The figure above shows two pistons A and B, connected by a tube full of liquid. Piston A has
an area of 10 cm2 and B has an area of 5 cm2 . A force of 25N is applied to piston A. What
force is needed on piston B to keep the pistons stationary ?
P = F/A
Pressure under piston A = 25 N / 0.1m2
= 2.5 Pa
For the pistons not to move this must be the pressure under piston B. If the force applied to
piston B is F, then
Pressure under piston B = F / 0.5 m2 = 2.5 Pa
Hence, F = 12.5 N
Archimedes’ Principle
States that a body, if immersed completely or partially in a liquid experience an upthrust
equal to the weight of the fluid displaced.

We consider a block of uniform cross-section, A, submerged in a liquid of density. There will


be a pressure of h1ρg acting downwards and h2ρg acting upwards.
We know that h2ρg > h1ρg, there is a net upward force. This is called the buoyant force, FB
which is equal to the liquid displaced.

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