O Level Cambridge (CIE) Physics

Multiple Choice Questions

1.8 Pressure
Pressure & Forces / Pressure in a Liquid

1 A woman is in contact with the floor.

In which of these poses does she produce the most pressure on the floor?

A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
(1 mark)

2 Which is an example of a force acting over a small area to produce a large pressure?

A. A skier wearing large skis on snow.

B. A hammer being used to push a nail into a piece of wood.
C. A tractor having very wide tyres.
D. A person lying down, rather than walking upright on a roof.
(1 mark)
3 A water-filled tank is resting on a table as shown in Fig. 1

Using the measurements in the diagram, determine the area which should be used to
calculate the pressure the tank exerts on the table.

A. 0.25 m2
B. 0.5 m2
C. 0.75 m2
D. 1.0 m2
(1 mark)
4 The diagram shows four measuring identical cylinders containing either distilled water or
concentrated sugar solution.
Which measuring cylinder has the least pressure at the base, due to the liquid?

(1 mark)
5 For the tank of water in the diagram below, which value gives the pressure on the base
of the tank due to the water?

The density of water = 1000 kg/m3

A. 5000 Pa
B. 5500 Pa
C. 6000 Pa
D. 6500 Pa
(1 mark)
Medium Questions
1 A briefcase, with flat, rectangular sides rests on the floor as shown in the diagram.

The briefcase is now turned so that it rests with its large, flat side on the floor.

How has the change affected the force on the floor, and the pressure exerted by the
briefcase on the floor?

Force Pressure

A unchanged decreased

B unchanged unchanged

C decreased decreased

D decreased unchanged

(1 mark)
2 A small metal block is suspended under the surface of a beaker of water by a string.

The metal block experiences a pressure exerted by the liquid.

What would increase the pressure exerted on the metal block?

A. increasing the surface area of the stone

B. using a liquid with a lower density
C. increasing the mass of the metal block
D. lowering the metal block deeper into the liquid
(1 mark)
3 A wooden block rests on a table.

On which surface should the block be laid to produce the largest pressure on the table?

A. A
B. B
C. C
D. Any side, they will all produce the same pressure
(1 mark)
4 For the tank of water in the diagram below, which value gives the pressure on the base
of the tank due to the water?

The density of water = 1000 kg/m3

A. 6500 Pa
B. 6900 Pa
C. 7400 Pa
D. 7900 Pa
(1 mark)
5 What pressure does the object in the diagram below exert on the ground beneath it?

A. 4.0 Pa
B. 6.0 Pa
C. 12 Pa
D. 24 Pa
(1 mark)

6 Which expression for pressure is correct?

A. force × area
B. force ÷ area
C. mass × area
D. mass ÷ area
(1 mark)
7 At a depth d in sea-water, the total pressure experienced by a diver is 2P, where P is
atmospheric pressure.

At which depth is the pressure 4P?

A. 1.5d
B. 2d
C. 3d
D. 4d
(1 mark)

8 Mercury is a liquid. The diagram shows a simple mercury barometer.

Which height is a measure of the atmospheric pressure?

(1 mark)
Hard Questions
1 The table gives four combinations of the force applied to a surface and the area over
which it acts.

Which row gives the smallest pressure exerted on the surface?

Force / N Area / m2

A 40 0.5

B 40 2.0

C 80 0.5

D 80 2.0

(1 mark)
2 Three beakers of water are placed on a table. The depth of water in each container is the
same.

In which container does the water exert the greatest pressure on the base of the
container?

A. A
B. B
C. C
D. None, the pressure is the same in all three.
(1 mark)
3 A person walking through snow sinks into it.

The person makes a change so that they do not sink as far next time they go out.

What do they do?

A. Crouch as they walk to lower their centre of mass

B. Run as fast as they can to increase the power they dissipate
C. Wear shoes with a much larger area on the bottom to increase the area of their feet
in contact with the snow

D. Wear a heavy backpack to increase their weight and so make them more stable .
(1 mark)
4 There is a significant risk to submarines which dive to very great depths.

Why is it dangerous to do this?

A. The temperature of water is too low at greater depths.

B. The density of water is less at greater depths
C. The pressure is too great at greater depths.
D. The gravitational pull increases at greater depths
(1 mark)

5 The ornament in Fig. 1 is designed to balance in either of the positions shown.

Calculate the difference in the pressure on the ground when the ornament's position is
changed.

A. 1000 Pa
B. 1250 Pa
C. 1500 Pa
D. 2000 Pa
(1 mark)
O Level Cambridge (CIE) Physics

Theory Questions

1.8 Pressure
Pressure & Forces / Pressure in a Liquid

Easy (5 questions) /44

Medium (5 questions) /34

Hard (5 questions) /39

Total Marks /117

Easy Questions
1 (a) A student is studying elephants. Fig. 2.1 shows an elephant.

The student measures the elephant and records the values, as shown in the table.

Complete the table by adding a suitable unit for each measurement. Choose the units
from those shown in the box.

m2 kg cm mm2 g m cm2 mg mm

measurements value unit

mass of elephant 4000

height of elephant 3.0

surface area of elephant foot 0.125

(b) Using information from the table in (a):

(i) Calculate the weight of the elephant.

weight = ..................................................... N [3]

(ii) Calculate the pressure the elephant exerts on the ground when it is standing on four
feet. Include a unit.

pressure = ......................................................... [4]

(7 marks)
2 (a) Complete the sentence defining pressure in solids.

Pressure is defined as the ________ per unit ________.

(2 marks)

(b) Complete the word equation defining pressure in solids.

Pressure in a solid is the _______ ÷ _______.

(2 marks)

(c) The table shows some everyday examples of objects which exert a pressure.

For each one identify whether the object would exert high pressure or low pressure.

High or Low Pressure?

High heeled shoe

Snowshoes

Kitchen knife

Point of a nail

Skis
 (5 marks)

(d) A student of weight 550 N is wearing shoes so that his two feet have a total area of 0.020
m2.

Calculate the pressure exerted by the student on the ground when standing on both
feet.

(3 marks)
3 (a) Describe how the pressure beneath the surface of a liquid changes

(i) With depth.

[1]

(ii) With density of the liquid.

[1]

(2 marks)

(b) Complete the word equation defining pressure in liquids.

Pressure in a liquid is the _________ of the liquid × gravitational field strength × change in
_________.

(2 marks)
(c) Fig. 1 shows two pairs of objects in a column of liquid.

For each pair identify the object which experiences the highest pressure and explain
your reason.

(4 marks)
(d) A swimmer dives to the bottom of a swimming pool which is 2 m deep. Calculate the
pressure on the swimmer. The density of the water in the pool is 1000 kg/m3.

(3 marks)
4 (a) The weight of a car is 20 000 N. For each tyre, the area in contact with the road is 0.1 m2.

For the car shown in Fig. 1, calculate the total area of the car tyres which are in contact
with the road surface.

(1 mark)

(b) Calculate the total pressure exerted by the car on the road.

(3 marks)

(c) The family who own the car are going on holiday. They add a roof-rack filled with heavy
camping equipment.

State how this will affect the pressure which the car exerts on the road.

(1 mark)

(d) Explain your answer to part (c).

5 (a) The weight of the skier shown in Fig.1 is 750 N. For each ski, the area in contact with the
snow is 0.2 m2.

Calculate the total area of the skis which is in contact with the snow.

(1 mark)

(b) Calculate the total pressure exerted by the skier on the snow.

(3 marks)
(c) The skier has been told that using narrower skis will make her go faster.

She switches to skis which each have a surface area of 0.15 m2.

State how this will affect the pressure which the skier exerts on the snow.

(d) Explain your answer to part (c).

(1 mark)
Medium Questions
1 (a) Fig.5.1 shows a glass bottle containing air. The bottle is sealed with a cap.

The air in the bottle becomes warmer.

(i) State what happens to the pressure of the air in the bottle.

[1]

(ii) Explain why the pressure of the air in the bottle changes. Use your ideas about gas
molecules.

[4]

(5 marks)
(b) The bottle has a weight of 5.4 N and an area of 9.2 cm2 in contact with the table.

Calculate the pressure produced by the bottle on the table. Give the unit.

pressure = .........................................................

(3 marks)

(c) Fig. 5.2 shows another bottle. The bottle is on a table. Part of the base of this bottle is not
in contact with the table.

(i) The base of the bottle is circular. The radius of the outer circle is 4.0 cm as shown in
Fig. 5.3. Calculate the area of this circle.

area = .................................................. cm2 [1]

(ii) The bottle shown in Fig. 5.2 has the same mass as the bottle shown in Fig. 5.1.

Explain why the bottle shown in Fig. 5.2 exerts more pressure on the table than the
bottle shown in Fig. 5.1.

[1]

(2 marks)
2 (a) Fig. 4.1 shows a pin. Fig. 4.2 shows a person pushing the pin into a wall.

The area of the top surface of the pin is 1.8 cm2.

The person applies a force of 50 N.

Calculate the pressure exerted on the top surface of the pin.

pressure = ............................................. N / cm2

(3 marks)

(b) The area of the top surface of the pin is 500 times larger than the area of the point.

Calculate the value of the pressure exerted by the point on the wall.

pressure = ............................................. N / cm2

(1 mark)
3 (a) Fig 2.1 shows liquid in a cylinder.

Table 2.1 gives some data about the cylinder and the liquid.

The cylinder containing liquid is placed on a digital balance that displays the mass in kg.

Calculate the reading shown on the balance.

reading ......................................................kg
(b) Fig. 2.2 shows a device called a manometer that measures the pressure of a gas.

(i) The pressure of the gas is 400 Pa greater than atmospheric pressure.

Calculate the density of the liquid.

density = ...........................................................[2]

(ii) With the gas supply connected, the top of the tube on the left of the device is sealed
securely with a rubber stopper. The gas pressure is then increased.

State and explain what happens to the liquid in the manometer.

[2]

(4 marks)
4 (a) On a particular day, the atmospheric pressure is 1.0 × 105 Pa. A bubble of gas forms at a
point 5.0 m below the surface of a lake. The density of water is 1000 kg/m3.

Determine

(i) the total pressure at a depth of 5.0 m in the water,

pressure = ...........................................................[3]

(ii) the pressure of the gas in the bubble.

pressure = ...........................................................[1]

(4 marks)

(b) As the bubble rises to the surface, the mass of gas in the bubble stays constant. The
temperature of the water in the lake is the same throughout.

Explain why the bubble rises to the surface and why its volume increases as it rises.

(3 marks)
5 (a) Fig. 3.1 shows an archer pulling the string of a bow.

The archer uses a force of 120 N. The force acts on an area of 0.5 cm2 on the archer’s
fingers.

Calculate the pressure on the archer’s fingers.

pressure on fingers = ............................................ N/cm2

(3 marks)

(b) The archer’s other hand is pushing the bow with the same force of 120 N. This force acts
on a larger area than the force in (a).

State whether the pressure on this hand is greater than, the same as or less than the
pressure on the fingers holding the string.

(1 mark)
(c) State the energy store of the bow that energy is transferred into when the archer bends
it as shown in Fig. 3.1.

(1 mark)
Hard Questions
1 (a) Fig. 4.1 shows liquid in a cylinder.

The depth of the liquid is 10 cm and the radius of the cylinder is 3.0 cm. The weight of
the liquid in the cylinder is 2.5 N.

Calculate the density of the liquid. You can assume that acceleration of free fall is 10
m/s2.

density = ...........................................................

(3 marks)
(b) Fig. 4.2 shows a device called a manometer that measures the pressure of a gas supply.

(i) The difference h between the two liquid levels is 2.0 cm. The density of the liquid is 800
kg/m3.

Calculate the difference between the pressure of the gas and atmospheric pressure.

pressure difference =.................................................[2]

(ii) A similar device with a tube of smaller cross-sectional area is connected to a gas
supply at the same pressure.

State and explain any effect on the value of h.

[2]

(4 marks)
2 (a) A rectangular container has a base of dimensions 0.12 m × 0.16 m. The container is filled
with a liquid. The mass of the liquid in the container is 4.8 kg.

Calculate

(i) the weight of liquid in the container

weight = ...........................................................[1]

(ii) the pressure due to the liquid on the base of the container

pressure = ...........................................................[2]

(3 marks)

(b) Explain why the total pressure on the base of the container is greater than the value
calculated in (a)(ii).

(1 mark)

(c) The depth of liquid in the container is 0.32 m.

Calculate the density of the liquid.

density = ...........................................................

(2 marks)
3 (a) A scientist fills a container with seawater. The container has dimensions 30 cm × 30 cm ×
40 cm. The density of seawater is 1020 kg/m3.

Calculate the mass of the seawater in the container.

mass = .........................................................

(3 marks)

(b) Fig. 2.1 shows a submarine. The submarine is fully submerged in the sea.

(i) The atmospheric pressure is 100 kPa and the total pressure on the top surface of the
submarine is 500 kPa.

Calculate the depth of the top surface of the submarine below the surface of the sea.

depth = ......................................................... [3]

(ii) A hatch (an opening door) on the top surface of the submarine has an area of 0.62
m2.

Calculate the downward force on the hatch due to the total pressure on the top surface
of the submarine.

force = ......................................................... [2]

(5 marks)
4 (a) Fig. 2.1 shows a hollow metal cylinder containing air, floating in the sea.

The density of the metal used to make the cylinder is greater than the density of
seawater.

Explain why the cylinder floats.

(1 mark)

(b) The cylinder has a length of 1.8 m. It floats with 1.2 m submerged in the sea. The bottom
of the cylinder has an area of cross-section of 0.80 m2.

The density of seawater is 1020 kg/m3. Calculate the force exerted on the bottom of the
cylinder due to the depth of the seawater.

force = ...........................................................

(4 marks)
(c) Deduce the weight of the cylinder. Explain your answer.

(2 marks)
5 (a) A cylindrical container has a base with diameter of 0.15 m and is filled with water to a
depth of 0.35 m as shown in Fig. 1.1.

The mass of the water is 6.2 kg.

Calculate the weight of the water in the container.

(1 mark)

(b) Calculate the pressure due to the liquid on the base of the container.

(3 marks)

(c) The water-filled cylinder is placed on a laboratory bench.

Suggest reasons why the total pressure on the bench is higher than the value calculated
in part (b).
 (2 marks)

(d) A bead of hollow glass is dropped into the water and comes to rest floating 12 cm above
the base of the cylinder as shown in Fig. 1.2.

Fig. 1.2

Calculate the total pressure on the bead.

Atmospheric pressure at sea level = 1.01 × 105 Pa

Density of water = 1000 kg/m3

(5 marks)