Pressure in liquids

What is Pressure?

• Pressure is the force or thrust acting on

unit area, 1 m .
2

pressure (P) = force (F) / area (A)

 What is Pressure?

• The S.I. unit of pressure is the pascal, Pa.

1 Pa = 1 N/m2
1 kPa = 1000 Pa

• The greater the area over which a force acts, the

less is the pressure.
 What is Pressure?

• How is it possible that walnuts can be broken

in the hand by squeezing two but not one?
 What is Pressure?

• How is it possible that walnuts can be

broken in the hand by squeezing two but
not one?
 What is Pressure?

• Why do you think that wearing skis prevent

you from sinking into soft snow?
 What is Pressure?

• Why do you think that wearing skis prevent you from

sinking into soft snow?
 Pressure in Liquids
• Pressure in liquids increases with depth.

• Pressure at one depth acts equally in all directions.

 Pressure in Liquids
• A liquid finds its own level.

• Pressure depends on density. Why?

 Pressure in Liquids
Reservoirs and Tall Buildings
• A town’s water supply often comes from a reservoir on high
ground. Why?

• The water flows

from the reservoir
via pipes to any tap
or storage tank that
is below the level of
water in the reservoir.
The lower the place
supplied the greater
 Pressure in Liquids
Reservoirs and Tall Buildings
• In very tall buildings it
may be necessary
first to pump
the water
to a large
tank in
the roof.

Why?
 Pressure in Liquids
Reservoirs and Tall Buildings
• Reservoirs for water
supply or for hydro-
electric power stations
are often made in
mountainous regions by
building a dam at one
end of a valley.

Why must a dam, when built, have a much thicker base?

 Pressure in Liquids
Hydraulic Machines
• Liquids are almost incompressible. What do you
think this means?

• However, they are able to pass on any pressure

applied to them and use of this fact is applied to
how hydraulic machines work.
 Pressure in Liquids
Hydraulic Machines
• Suppose a downwards force of 1 N acts on a piston A of
area 1/100 m2. What is the pressure transmitted through the liquid if pressure =
force/area?

This pressure acts on piston B of area ½ m2. What is the total upwards force or thrust
on B if force = pressure x area.

Therefore a force of ________ N applied on piston A thus produces a force of

________ N on piston B.
 Pressure in Liquids
Hydraulic Machines
• Suppose a downwards force of 1 N acts on a piston A of
area 1/100 m2. What is the pressure transmitted through the liquid if pressure =
force/area?

This pressure acts on piston B of area ½ m2. What is the total upwards force or thrust
on B if force = pressure x area.

Therefore a force of ________ N applied on piston A thus produces a force of

________ N on piston B.
 Pressure in Liquids
Hydraulic Machines
• Hydraulic jacks, hydraulic fork-lift trucks and hydraulic
car brakes use this very same principle.

Hydraulic Jack Hydraulic fork-lift Truck Hydraulic Drum Brake System

 Pressure in Fluids
• In Liquids:
Pressure (P) = density (ρ) x gravity (g) x height of liquid (h)

• This pressure acts equally in all directions at depth h and depends

only on height and density. Its value will be in Pascals, Pa, if height
is in meters (m) and density is in kilogram per cubic metre (kg/m3).

• The expression above also applies to gases.

 Pressure in Liquids
• Within a fluid the difference in pressure between
points separated by a depth in change of height
can be written as

ΔP = ρgΔh

• The symbol, Δ, means difference in.

 Pressure in Liquids
• The figure shows a fish at a depth of h = 40 m in a lake where the
density of the water is 1000 kg/m3.

Determine:
a. The pressure due to
the water on the fish

b. The total pressure on

the fish if the atmospheric
pressure is 1.0 × 105 Pa.

Gravitational field strength = 10 N/kg

 Pressure in Liquids

• Answers:
a. Pwater = hρg
Pwater = 40 m × 1000 kg/m3 × 10 N/kg
= 400 000 Pa

b. Ptotal = Patmosphere + Pwater

Ptotal = 1.0 × 105 Pa + 400 000 Pa = 5.0 × 105 Pa
 QUESTIONS
• Answer the following questions. Where:
atmospheric pressure = 105 Pa
gravity = 10 N/kg

• A girl in stiletto heels is more likely to damage a wooden floor than an elephant is. Why?
 QUESTIONS
• i. What is the pressure on a surface when a force of 50 N acts on an area of
a) 2 m2
b) 100 m2
c) 0.5 m2?

ii. A pressure of 10 Pa acts on an area of 3 m2. What is the force acting on the area?

• A block of concrete weighs 900 N and its base is a square of sides

3 m. What pressure does the block exert on the ground?
 QUESTIONS
• In a hydraulic press a force of 20 N is applied to a piston of area 0.2 m2.
The area of the other piston is 2 m2. What is:

a) the pressure transmitted through the liquid

b) the force on the other piston?

• What is the pressure 100 m below the surface of sea water of density
1150 kg/m3? (gravity = 10 N/kg)
Atmospheric
Pressure
 Atmospheric Pressure
• The air forming the earth’s
atmosphere stretches
upwards a long way.

• Its weight exerts

a large pressure at sea level,
about 100 000 N/m2 = 105 Pa = 100 kPa.

• This pressure acts equally

in all directions.

• The gas molecules closest to earth

are packed together very closely.

• Pressure is lower the higher up you go

into the atmosphere hence gas
 Atmospheric Pressure
• Why don’t we usually feel atmospheric pressure?

We don’t feel atmospheric pressure

because the pressure inside of our
bodies is similar to the atmospheric
pressure outside of our bodies.

Therefore, it balances out.

 Examples of Atmospheric Pressure
Collapsing Can & Magdeburg Hemispheres
• We often experiment
or observe atmospheric
pressure in action for
example:

• Collapsing can

What do you think is

happening when air is
being sucked out of a
plastic canister?

Why does the canister

deform or shrivel in shape?
 Examples of Atmospheric Pressure
Collapsing Can & Magdeburg Hemispheres
• The Magdeburg hemispheres
The vacuum pump was invented
by von Guericke, the mayor of
Magdeburg.

About 1650 he used it to

remove the air from
two large hollow metal
hemispheres, fitted together
to give an airtight sphere.

So good was his pump that

it took two teams, each of
eight horses, to separate
 Examples of Atmospheric Pressure
Drinking Straw & Rubber Sucker
• Drinking straw

When you suck, your lungs expand

and air passes into them from the
straw.

Atmospheric pressure pushing

down on the surface of the liquid in
the bottle is now greater than the
pressure of the air in the straw
and so forces the liquid up into
your mouth.
 Examples of Atmospheric Pressure
Drinking Straw & Rubber Sucker
• Rubber sucker

When a sucker is moistened and

pressed on a smooth flat surface,
the air inside is pushed out. Atmospheric
pressure

Atmospheric pressure then holds it

firmly against the surface.

What are suckers used for?

 Measuring Atmospheric Pressure
Pressure Gauges

• Pressure gauges measure the pressure exerted

by a fluid.

• Fluids are either liquid or a gas.

 Measuring Atmospheric Pressure
Pressure Gauges

• Let’s explore 4 types of Pressure Gauges:

1. Bourdon Gauge
2. Mercury Barometer
3. U-Tube Manometer
4. Aneroid Barometer
 Measuring Atmospheric Pressure
Pressure Gauges
• A Bourdon Gauge measures car oil pressure as well as the pressure in gas
cylinders.

• A Mercury Barometer is used to measure atmospheric pressure.

• A U-tube Manometer is used to measure the pressure of oil of specific

gravity 0.85 flowing in a pipeline.

• Aneroid Barometers are used in airplanes to determine the change in

altitudes the vessel experiences. They are often referred to as altimeters.
 Measuring Atmospheric Pressure
Pressure Gauges
• Bourdon gauge
This works like the blow toy. The
harder you blow into the paper tube,
the more it uncurls.

In a Bourdon gauge, when a fluid pressure is applied,

the curved metal tube tries to straighten
out and rotates a pointer over a scale.

Car oil pressure gauges and the gauges

on gas cylinders are of this type.
 Measuring Atmospheric Pressure
Pressure Gauges
• Mercury barometer
This is a simple instrument
used to measure the
pressure of the atmosphere.

The height, h, of the mercury column is

proportional to the atmospheric pressure.

Since there is a vacuum at the top of the tube, the

pressure at Y is due only to the mercury above it.
 Measuring Atmospheric Pressure
• Mercury barometer
Pressure Gauges
Given the following data,
calculate the atmospheric
pressure, PA, indicated by
the barometer.

density of mercury = 13, 600 kg/m3

gravitational field strength = 10 N/kg

if PA = pressure X
then PA = pressure at Y since
X and Y are at the same level
in the mercury.

:. PA = ρgh (pressure at Y due to the column of mercury above it)

 Measuring Atmospheric Pressure
Pressure Gauges
• Manometer
This is an instrument used to
measure the pressure of a gas.

One arm of the U-tube is exposed to the

atmosphere and the other is connected
to the gas supply.

The difference in the levels of the liquid in

the arms of the tube indicates the difference
in pressure between the gas and the atmosphere.

Where:
pressure of gas = atmospheric pressure + pressure due to liquid column h
 Measuring Atmospheric Pressure
Pressure Gauges
• Manometer
Given the following data, calculate the pressure of the
gas supply assuming the liquid in the manometer is
mercury.

Atmospheric pressure (PA) = 1.0 × 105 Pa

Height (h) = 20 cm
Density of mercury (ρ) = 13, 600 kg/m3
gravitational field strength (g) = 10 N/kg

gas pressure = pressure at X

gas pressure also = pressure at Y since X and Y

are at the same level in the fluid

gas pressure (PG) = atmospheric pressure + excess pressure

PG = PA + hρg
 Measuring Atmospheric Pressure
• Aneroid barometer: Pressure Gauges
An aneroid (no liquid) barometer consists of a partially
evacuated, thin metal box with corrugated sides to
increase its strength.
 Measuring Atmospheric Pressure
• Aneroid barometer:
Pressure Gauges
The box is prevented from collapsing by a strong spring.
If the atmospheric pressure increases, the box caves in
slightly; if it decreases, the spring pulls it out.

A system of levers magnifies this movement and

causes a chain to move a pointer over a scale.

Aneroid barometers are used in aircrafta as altimeters.

 Atmospheric Pressure and Weather
Hurricanes

• Regions of high atmospheric pressure, called

anticyclones, are accompanied by clear skies and
sunny weather.

• When one has formed, it often does not move for

several days and covers a wide area.
 Atmospheric Pressure and Weather
Hurricanes

• On the other hand a cyclone or depression is associated

with a region of low pressure and usually brings
widespread rain.

• A hurricane is a severe cyclone with winds of 75 miles

per hour (33 m/s) or more which spiral inwards towards
the storm centre.
 Atmospheric Pressure and Weather
Hurricanes

• The centre of the storm is

called the eye which is
anticlockwise in the
northern hemisphere and
clockwise in the southern
hemisphere (due to wind
patterns).

• The pressure decreases

rapidly towards the eye.
 Atmospheric Pressure and Weather
Hurricanes

• Rainfall and wind speed increase but fall off suddenly on

reaching the eye, where the temperature may be 10 oC
higher than in the main body of the storm.

• Large amounts of energy are released as the hurricane

forms.

• On average there are 8 hurricanes in the Caribbean

 How Atmospheric Pressure
Affects Aviation and Diving
• Our bodies are designed to work at normal atmospheric
pressure.

• At high altitudes breathing is difficult and aircrafts have

pressurized cabins in which the air pressure is increased
sufficiently above than outside to safe-guard the crew
and passengers.
 How Atmospheric Pressure
Affects Aviation and Diving
• Why does our ear pop at high
altitudes?

• Inside your ear there is a pocket

of air. This pocket is normally at
the same pressure as the air
outside your ear to help you hear,
but if the air pressure around you
changes, you feel the air pushing
on your eardrum.

• Your ear has a small tube for equalising

the pressure between the inside and
outside of the ear that is opened when
you swallow and when the pressure is
 How Atmospheric Pressure
Affects Aviation and Diving
• In a plane, the high altitude means the air is thinner and although planes are
pressurized, the air pressure is still much less than on the surface.

• This difference in air

pressure can be felt
by the ears, particularly
on takeoff and landing
when changes in
altitude make the
pressure difference
happen more quickly.
 How Atmospheric Pressure
Affects Aviation and Diving
• A scuba diver meets high
pressures and different
dangers.

At high pressures
nitrogen dissolves
in the blood and on
returning to the surface
too fast he would suffer
the painful and
sometimes fatal
condition called
‘THE BENDS’.
 Atmospheric Pressure
Pressure, Aviation and Diving
Pressure Questions
Floating, sinking and flying
 Archimedes’ Principle
• A ship floats because
it gets support from
the water.

• Any object in a liquid, whether floating or submerged, is

acted on by an upward force or buoyant force.

• This force makes it seem to weigh less than normal.

 Archimedes’ Principle
• Archimedes’ Principle states that:

When a body is wholly or partly submerged in a fluid the

upthrust equals the weight of fluid displaced or pushed
aside.

• The word fluid refers to a liquid or a gas.

•
 Floating
• The principle of floatation states:

When a body floats in water the upthrust equals the

weight of the body. The net force on the body is zero,
this is the case of the principle of floatation .

• A floating body displaces its own weight of fluid.

 Floating
Ships, Submarines, Balloons
• Ships
A floating ship displaces a weight of water equal to its own weight
including that of the cargo.

The load lines called the Plimsoll mark on the side of a ship show the
levels to which it can legally be loaded under different conditions.

Why is a boat allowed to take a greater load in summer than in

winter?
 Floating
Ships, Submarines, Balloons
• Ships
A floating ship displaces a weight of water equal to its own weight including
that of the cargo.

The load lines called the Plimsoll mark on the side of a ship show the levels
to which it can legally be loaded under different conditions.

Why is a boat allowed to take a greater load in summer than in winter?

Colder water is more dense than warmer or hot water. The warm water
allows a boat to carry more cargo because the ship would have less buoyant
force to overcome.
 Floating
Ships, Submarines, Balloons
• Submarines
How do you think a submarine sinks?

Once a submarine is submerged the

upthrust is unchanged but the weight
of the submarine increases with
the inflow of water and it sinks
faster.

• How do you think a submarine resurfaces?

 Floating
Ships, Submarines, Balloons
• Cartesian Diver

In the Cartesian diver, the

pressure on the cork forces
more water into the bulb.
The diver’s weight increases
and he sinks.

The Cartesian diver mimicks

the behaviour of a submarine.
 Floating
Ships, Submarines, Balloons
• Balloons
A balloon filled with hydrogen weighs less than
the weight of air it displaces.

The upthrust force is therefore greater than its

weight and the resultant upwards force on the
balloon causes it to FLOAT.
 Floating
Ships, Submarines, Balloons
• Balloons

Meteorological balloons carry

scientific instruments called
radiosondes, and are sent into
the upper atmosphere.

A small radio transmitter sends

signals back to earth which
contain information about the
temperature, pressure and humidity.

They are tracked by radar to give data on wind direction and speed.
 Floating
Ships, Submarines, Balloons
• Hydrometer:

This is an instrument for measuring

rapidly, the relative density of a liquid.

The hydrometer is placed in the

liquid and the scale is read at the
level of the liquid surface.

The denser the liquid, the higher

it floats. The numbers on the
 Floating
Ships, Submarines, Balloons
• Hydrometer

The large bulb gives the instrument buoyancy, and the small
weighted bulb makes it float upright.

The narrow stem gives greater sensitivity, that is a small density

change causes the instrument to
float much higher or lower.

Hydrometers enable the state of a car battery to be checked.

Where else are hydrometers used?

Floating, Sinking & Flying Questions