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V
LESSON 3.2
Understanding
pressure in liquids
Introduction
Liquids have pressure because of their
weights.
For example, if you try to put your
finger over the end of a tap when it is
turned on, you can feel the pressure of
the water in the pipe. This is just
caused by the weight of water in the
pipes all the way back up to the cold
water in the loft. The force of gravity
acts on liquids, pulling them
downwards into the container.
= ρ Ah g (because V
= Ah)
A
= ρ hg
From the final expression , we can say
that the pressure at any point in a
liquid at rest is directly proportional to
the density of liquid and the depth.
The pressure in the liquid is not
dependent on the surface area and
the shape of a container.

Calculating pressure in a liquid Example 1

Say that a vertical column of liquid
with a density ρ and a horizontal
area A .
Consider an object is placed at point
X at a depth h below the surface area
of the liquid.
If the density of sea water is 1150 kg
m-3,calculate the pressure below 40m
of sea water due to the water alone.
Solution

Example 2
The figure shows a cylinder
containing liquid mercury.

The pressure P due the liquid exerted

on the object at point X can be
written as:

P=F
A
=W What is the pressure caused by the
A liquid mercury at the point P?
= mg [ Density of liquid mercury is 1.36 x
(because W = mg) 105 kg m-3 ]
A
= ρ Vg Solution
(because ρ = m )

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Example 3

The pressure of hot water emerging

from a tap is
1 x 105 Pa. What is the force exerted
by the water on a person’s thumb ,if
the person places his thumb over the
outlet of the tap and stops the hot
water flowing. [ The area of the tap is
10-4 m2 ]

Solution

Applications of pressure in liquids

1 Water tank
Normally a water tank is placed at
higher level so as to supply water
at greater pressure.
2 Dam
The wall of a dam is much thicker
at the bottom than at the top
because it must withstand the
increased lateral pressure in
depths of the water.
3 Submarine
Submarine is built with thick wall
so as to withstand enormous
pressure at greater depth.

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 A 4.0 x 101 N m-2 B 1.6 x
10 N m
2 -2

C 1.6 x 103 N m-2 D 4.0 x

103 N m-2
E 1.6 x 104 N m-2

3 The figure shows a high tin with a

length of 100 cm is filled to the full
with water.

If the pressure caused by the

water at point P is
8000 Pa, What is the value of L?
(Density of water = 1000 kg m - 3 )

A 10 cm B 20 cm
C 40 cm D 60 cm
E 80 cm

4 The figures show liquids in

TUTORIAL containers. Which column of liquid
2 exerts the greatest pressure on
1 An air bubble is at a depth of 5 m the base of its container?
below the surface of a lake . What
is the pressure of water on the
bubble if the density of the water is
1 000 kg m-3?

A 5 x 10-4 Pa B 5 x 10-3 Pa
C 2 x 10 2 Pa D 5 x 10 3
Pa
E 5 x 104 Pa

2 The figure shows a cylinder

containing oil with a density of 800
kg m-3.

5 Which one of the following is not

true?
What is the pressure caused by
the oil at point
A The pressure in a liquid
X?
increases with depth

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 B The pressure in a liquid
increases with density of the
water
C The pressure in a liquid
increases with area of contact
D The pressure in a liquid
increases with the Which comparison is correct?
gravitational acceleration
A P1 > P2 > P3
6 The figure shows a polystyrene B P1 < P2 < P3
block being pushed to a depth of C P1=P2 = P3
h cm from the water surface. P is
the water pressure acting on 8 Equal masses of water are poured
surface Q. into four jars as shown. In which
jar is the pressure exerted by the
water on the base the greatest?

Which graph shows the

relationship between P and h when
the block is pushed deeper into
the water?

9 The figure shows three wooden

blocks J,K and L are pressed into
the water until the base of its
reach at level P.
The pressure caused by the
water at base of the wooden
blocks J , K and L are X1 , X2 and
X3 respectively.

7 The figure shows three containers

with different shapes filled with
water with the same level. The
pressure caused by the water at
point P , Q and R are P1 , P2 and P3
respectively.

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Which comparison is correct?
A X1 > X2 > X3
B X1 < X2 < X3
C X1=X2 = X3
10 The figure shows a siphon system.
Which of the following is true?
A Water in beaker A flows into
beaker B until the volume of
water in beaker A is the same
as the volume of water in
beaker B
B Water in beaker A flows into
beaker B until the level of
water in beaker A is the same
as the level of water in beaker
B by the water in the tank only?
C Water in beaker A flows into
beaker B until beaker B is full
D Water in beaker A flows into
beaker B until beaker B is
empty
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11 The wall of a dam is much thicker
at the bottom than at the top
because
A pressure of water at the upper
level is higher than pressure of
water at the deeper level
B pressure of water at the upper
level is lower than pressure of
water at the deeper level
C pressure of water at the upper
level is the same as than
pressure of water at the
deeper level
12 Figure shows the surface of the
water in a domestic cold water
tank is 5 m above the downstairs
cold water tap.
[ Atmospheric pressure = 100000
Pa ]
[ Density of water = 1000 kgm-3]
(a) State the principle is used
causes the water shoots out
from the tap.
.................................................
..................
.................................................
...................
(b) What is the pressure caused
(c) What is the pressure of the hot
water emerging from the tap?
 …………………………………………..
(d) The area of water tap where (b) The water in the beaker stops
water emerges is 0.04 m2. A to flow when the level of the
man places his thumb over the water at P as shown in Figure
outlet of the tap and stops the (b)
hot flowing. Calculate the
force exerted by the water on
his thumb.

13 Figure(a) shows an apparatus is

used to remove water from a
beaker to a cylinder he volume of
the water in the beaker is same as
the volume of water in the
cylinder.

Figure (b)
(i) Mark the water level in the
cylinder
in Figure(b) when the
water stops to
flow.

(ii) Why does the water stop

to flow?

……………………………………….

Figure (a) ………………………………………..

(a) (i) Name the system for (iii) By using the same
removing the water. apparatus,
suggest one method to
…….. remove
………………………………… all the water into the
(ii) Explain how the water cylinder.
flows from
the beaker to the cylinder.
………………………………………

…………………………………………..
………………………………………

………………………………………….. 14 Figure (a) and Figure (b) shows

two positions of a diver in the sea.

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 (vi) Way you would
tabulate the
data
(vii) Way you would
analysis the
data

Figure(a)
Figure(b)

Observe the positions of the diver

and the pain
in his ear.
Based on the observations:
(a) State one suitable
inference that can be
made.
(b) State one appropriate
hypothesis for an
investigation.
(c) With the use of apparatus
such as a high tin, rubber
stoppers, and other
apparatus , describe an
experimental framework to
test your hypothesis.
In your description , state
clearly the following:
(i) Aim of the experiment
(ii) Variables in the
experiment
(iii) List of apparatus and
materials
(iv) Arrangement of the
apparatus
(v) The procedure of the
experiment which
include the
method of controlling
the
manipulated variable
and the
method of measuring
the
responding variable.

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