Pressure

Physics

Unit: Hidden Forces

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Outcome

I can describe and calculate pressure, the effect of a force

acting over an area.
Keywords

pressure

concentrated

newtons per square centimetre

newtons per square metre (pascal)

Keywords

The pressure on a surface is the effect of a force acting over an

area.

When a force is concentrated on a small area the pressure is higher.

Pressure can be measured in newtons per square centimetre.

The newton per square metre is the standard unit for pressure and
this is also known as the pascal (Pa).
Lesson outline

Pressure

Describing pressure

How to calculate pressure

Calculating different pressures

Describing pressure
Explanation

When you push down on a balloon with your hand

you put a force on it.

The balloon changes shape but it does

not pop unless you put a very large
force on it.

The force is spread out over a large

area on the surface of the balloon.
Describing pressure
Explanation

Pushing a sharp pin into the balloon using a much

smaller force will pop it.

The small force is being concentrated

on the sharp end of the pin over a very
small area of the balloon’s surface.

The surface cannot resist the

concentrated force and it rips.
Describing pressure
Explanation

The effect of a force acting on an area is called

pressure.
The larger the force the greater the pressure.

same area

small force large force

low pressure high pressure
Describing pressure
Explanation

The smaller the surface area, the greater the

pressure.

same force

large area small area

low pressure high pressure
Describing pressure
Check

Which of these combinations of force and area will

give the highest pressure?
a a large force acting on a large area

b a small force acting on a large area

c a large force acting on a small area

d a small force acting on a small area

Describing pressure
Explanation

High pressures can damage surfaces.

sharp blades

very small area

scissors

A small force will produce a high pressure, and this will cut
through paper easily.
Describing pressure
Explanation

The point of a dart concentrates a force over a

very small area.

The dart will break through the

surface of a dartboard easily
and stick into it.
Describing pressure
Check

True or false?
When a nail is hammered into wood the pressure on the top surface
of the nail is greater than the pressure on the point.
T True F False

Justify your answer

a The force is the same but the area is much smaller at the
point, so the force is more concentrated.

b The force is greater at the pointed end of the nail, so this

produces a larger pressure.
Describing pressure
Explanation

To reduce pressure, the force can be spread out

over a large area.
normal size shoe

large area snowshoe

Using snow snowshoes spreads out your weight

so you don't sink into the snow.
Describing pressure
Check

Why don’t camels sink into the

sand as they walk?

a they have a low weight

b their feet have a large area

c they move quickly so have no time to sink

Task A Describing pressure
Practice

During a rescue on thin ice the rescue teams lie flat or

use boards to slide across the ice. This takes a lot more
time than walking.

Explain why it is safer for the

rescue team to lie down and
slide across the ice instead of
walking on it.
Use a diagram to help with your
explanation.
an ice rescue raft
Task A Describing pressure
Feedback

Explain why it is safer for the rescue team to lie down

and slide across the ice instead of walking on it.
When somebody is lying down, they make a larger area of contact with
the ice. Their weight is spread out over a larger area and so the pressure
is smaller, and the ice is less likely to break.
Use a diagram to help with your explanation.

thin ice
smaller area = higher pressure greater area = lower pressure
Lesson outline

Pressure

Describing pressure

How to calculate pressure

Calculating different pressures

How to calculate pressure
Explanation

The pressure acting on a surface is the force

acting on each unit of area.
It is equal to the force divided by the area as shown in the
equation: 1N

pressure = force ÷ area 1 cm2

In symbols: p=F÷A
pressure = 1 N/cm2
p is the pressure is in newtons per square centimetre (N/cm2)
F is the force in newton (N)
A is the area in square centimetre (cm2)
How to calculate pressure
Explanation

The equation is used to calculate pressure:

An elephant has a weight of 51 000 N and

its feet have a total area of 1200 cm2.

What pressure does the elephant put on the ground?

pressure = force ÷ area
pressure = 51 000 ÷ 1200
pressure = 42.5 N/cm2
How to calculate pressure
Explanation Check

A book resting on a table has a The book is turned so it rests on

weight of 15 N and a surface area its edge with an area of 30 cm2.
of 300 cm2 in contact with the
What is the pressure on the
table.
table now?
What is the pressure on the table?

pressure = force ÷ area pressure = force ÷ area

pressure = 15 ÷ 300 pressure = 15 ÷ 30
pressure = 0.05 N/cm2 pressure = 0.5 N/cm2
How to calculate pressure
Explanation

To calculate the pressure your hand exerts, you need

to measure the force you push with and the area of
your hand.

● To measure the size of the force you push with,

push down on some bathroom scales and multiply
the number of kilograms by ten.

● To measure the surface area of your hand, draw

around it on squared paper and count the squares.
Task B How to calculate pressure
Practice

Calculate the pressure you exert:

1) Draw around the outline of your hand on a sheet of squared
paper, with squares of 1 cm2.
2) Add up the number of squares covered by your hand to find its
area in cm2. If more than half a square is in the area count it, if
less than half is in then don’t count it.
3) Push down on some bathroom scales using a flat hand. To find
the force you push with, multiply the number of kilograms by ten.
(A mass of 1 kg pushes down with a force of 10 N)
4) Calculate pressure using: pressure = force ÷ area
Task B How to calculate pressure
Feedback

1) Draw around the outline of your

hand on a sheet of squared paper,
with squares of 1 cm2.

It should look similar to this →

2) Add up the number of squares

covered by your hand to find its
area in cm2.
The area of my hand is 163 cm2.
Task B How to calculate pressure
Feedback

3) Push down on some bathroom scales using a flat

hand. To find the force you push with, multiply the
number of kilograms by ten.
reading = 19.9 kg
force = 10 × 19.9 kg = 199 N

4) Calculate the pressure using: pressure = force ÷ area

pressure = force ÷ area
pressure = 199 ÷ 163
pressure = 1.22 N/cm2
Lesson outline

Pressure

Describing pressure

How to calculate pressure

Calculating different pressures

Calculating different pressures
Explanation

In physics the standard unit of area is the

square metre. The unit for force is the newton.
1N
This means the standard unit of pressure
is newtons per square metre.
1 m2

Another name for the unit of

newtons per square metre is the pascal 1 N/m2 = 1 Pa
(Pa).
Calculating different pressures
Explanation Check

A snowmobile has a weight of A person of weight 600 N sits on

2400 N and the surface area of the snowmobile. How much
its tracks in contact with the does the pressure on the ground
ground is 0.25 m2. increase to?

What is the pressure on the new force = 2400 + 600 = 3000 N

ground?
pressure = force ÷ area pressure = force ÷ area
pressure = 2400 ÷ 0.25 pressure = 3000 ÷ 0.25
pressure = 9600 N/m2 pressure = 12 000 N/m2
Calculating different pressures
Explanation

The difference between measuring pressure in

N/cm2 and N/m2 is the units that area is measured in.
Pressure in N/cm2 is always bigger
than the same pressure in N/m2.
1 m = 100 cm

1 m2 ● To convert from N/m2 to N/cm2,

= 100 cm × 100 cm multiply the pressure by 10 000.
= 10 000 cm2 ● To convert from N/cm2 to N/m2,
divide the pressure by 10 000.

1 m = 100 cm ● N/m2 and Pa are the same.

Calculating different pressures
Check

What is a pressure of 40 000 N/cm2 in pascals (Pa)?

a 40 000 Pa
pressure = 40 000 N/cm2 ÷ 10 0000 = 4 N/m2
b 4 000 Pa
and 4 N/m2 = 4 Pa

c 4 Pa

d 0.4 Pa
Calculating different pressures
Explanation

Converting between newtons per square centimetre

and pascals involves converting areas.

To convert from N/cm2 to Pa,

1 m = 100 cm

multiply the pressure by 10 000.

1 m2
= 100 cm × 100 cm To convert from Pa to N/cm2,
= 10 000 cm2 divide the pressure by 10 000.

1 m = 100 cm
Task C Calculating different pressures
Practice

An apartment has a wooden floor that can take a maximum

pressure of 80 000 Pa before it is damaged.
A settee weighs 1200 N and has four feet, each of which has an
area of 25 cm2.

1) Show that the settee will damage the

wooden floor.
2) Suggest how the settee can be adapted
so that is can be used on the floor.
Task C Calculating different pressures
Feedback

The floor can take a maximum pressure of 80 000 N/m2 before it is

damaged. The settee weighs 1200 N and has a four feet, each of which
has an area of 25 cm2.
1) Show that the settee will damage the wooden
floor.
total area of feet = 4 × 25 = 100 cm2
pressure = force ÷ area
pressure = 1200 ÷ 100
pressure = 12 N/cm2
Damage if pressure is over 80 000 N/m2.
80 000 N/m2 ÷ 10 000 = 8 N/cm2 so the floor is damaged.
Task C Calculating different pressures
Feedback

2) Suggest how the settee can be adapted so that is can be used

on the floor.
Your suggestions could include the following points:
● The pressure would be decreased if
the area of contact with the floor
could be increased.
● Placing flat floor protectors or
‘coasters’ (plastic or metal disks) settee foot
beneath the feet will spread out inside disk
the force and reduce the pressure.
Summary Pressure

A force acting over a surface area produces a pressure.

A force concentrated on a small area can cause a high pressure.
5N
Pressure is calculated using:
pressure = force ÷ area 1 m2

pressure = 5 N/m2
Pressure is usually measured in newtons
per square metre (N/m2). = 0.000 5 N/cm2
1 N/m2 = 1 Pa (pascal)
It is sometimes measured in
newtons per square centimetre (N/cm2).
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