S C I E N C E
Grade 10 Science Power
15. Hydrostatic pressure and its applications
Pressure The Force acting on a unit area is known as pressure.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Newtons per square meter
The unit of pressure…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
1 Nm-² = 1 Pa
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
A cubic shaped box is placed on a table. If the weight of the box is 400 N and the
area of the bottom of the box is 0.2 m2, find the pressure exerted on the surface of
the table under the box.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Perpendicular force Contact area Pressure
1500N 0.3m2
……………………………………
……..
750N 0.3m2
……………………………………
……..
2000N 4 m2
……………………………………
……..
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2000N 2 m2
……………………………………
……..
Hydrostatic pressure
Pressure is exerted not only by solids, liquids also exert pressure.
Activity Conclusion
Polythene bag The water pressure acts in every directions
…………………………………………………………………
through the holes
…..……………………………………………………………
Holes
Water ………………….
Plastic bottle The pressure at the same level of liquid is
PA = PB = PC …………………………………………………………………
A B C the same.
…..……………………………………………………………
………………….
PA < PB < PC < PD The pressure is a liquid increases with
A …………………………………………………………………
B
Water Bottle C the depth of the liqiud.
D …..……………………………………………………………
………………….
Same Liquid pressure depends on the vertical
Height …………………………………………………………………
height on the liquid column and does not
…..……………………………………………………………
depend on the shape of the liquid column.
………………….
( Pa = Pb = Pc = Pd = Pe )
Liquid pressure depends on density.
…………………………………………………………………
…..……………………………………………………………
………………….
Coconut oil water
Density of water is higher than the density of coconut oil.
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Fill in the blanks.
(i) The pressure at a certain point in a liquid depends on the height of the liquid
column above that point. Pressure increases with the depth………… of the liquid column.
equal
(ii) The pressure at the …………….. level of a liquid is the same.
pressure is the same in all directions.
(iii) At a given point in a liquid, the …………….
vertical
(iv) Liquid pressure depends on the ……………..height of the liquid column. It does not
shape
depend on the ……………… of the liquid column.
Calculating liquid pressure
Liquid Pressure ( pascal )
P - ………………………………………………………….
height of the liquid column ( m )
h - ………………………………………………………….
density of the liquid
p - …………………………………………………………. (þ)
gravitational acceleration ( kgm-³ )
g - ………………………………………………………….
1. Find the pressure at X.(density of water 1000 kgm-3)
P = hþg
P = 2m x 1000 kgm-3 x 10kgm-3
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
water 2m X
= 20 000 Pa
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
X
2. Find the pressure at point P in the diagram.
P = hþg
P = ___
76m x 13 000kgm-3 x 10kgm-3
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
100
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
76 Cm P = 103360 Pa
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
mercury P
13 000 kgm-3
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3. Find the pressure at point Q in the diagram.
P = hþg
P = 1000kgm-3 x 10m x 10kgm-3
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
P = 100 000Pa
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
water
1000kgm-3
Transmission of pressure through liquids
The pressure exerted at one point in a liquid can be transmitted to another
point in the liquid.
A machine constructed to operate based on this principle is known as hydraulic
press.
Hoists that lift vehicles in motor vehicle service stations are built based on the
principle of pressure transmission through fluids.
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Hydraulic jack
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Vehicle break system
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
In the break system of a vehicle, when the driver applies a ………………………… on the
break-pedal, it is ………………………… to the piston in the master cylinder. This force
exerts a ………………………… on the ………………………… inside the cylinder. This pressure
is then transmitted through the ………………………… to the slave cylinder near the
wheel. Then the brake-pads connected to the slave cylinder are pressed to apply a
pressure on the break-discs or break-drums. Since the cross-sectional area of the
slave cylinder is larger than that of the master cylinder, the force applied on the
break-pads by the slave cylinder is greater than the force applied by the driver on
the break-pedal.
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Exercises
(1) The pressure exerted at the bottom of a container due to a liquid inside it is
1500 Pa. What is meant by "the pressure is 1500 pa"?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(2) Find the pressure exerted by a mercury column of height 10 cm. (Density of
mercury is 13600 kg m-3).
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(3) The depth of a pond is 1.5 m. Calculate the pressure caused by the water at the
bottom of the pond.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(4) The depth at a certain point in the sea is 1 km. Find the pressure exerted by sea
water at the bottom of the sea at that point. (Density of sea water is 1050 kgm-3)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(5) A tank with a length 5 m, width 3 m and depth 2 m is filled with a liquid of
density 800 kg m-3.
(a) What is the pressure at the bottom of the tank due to the liquid ?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(b) What is the force acting on the bottom of the tank due to that pressure?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
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