11
Force and Pressure
Expected Learning Outcomes
Knowledge to be gained: •Force •Effects of force •Types of force •Pressure •Pressure exerted by
solids, liquids and gases
Skill to be developed: •Identifying the forces acting on an object.
In Class VII, we have learnt about moving
objects (motion and its types). We also learned
that objects can move slow or fast based on their
speed. In this Chapter, we will study about what
makes an object move.
We all have seen a ball rolling on the ground. You
must have also noticed that aer some time, the
rolling ball slows down and eventually comes to
rest. Sometimes it may even change its direction
of motion. Have you ever wondered what makes
an object slow down or go faster, or even change
its direction of motion?
Let us take the example of a football. You must
have seen a football player kicking the ball to
make it move. You would have also seen other
players changing the direction of the moving ball
by kicking it in the desired direction, or a
goalkeeper stopping the ball from rolling.
We oen say that a force has been applied on the
166 Exploring Science-8
ball when it is kicked, pushed, thrown or icked.
Now we are going to study—what is force, and
what it can do to the bodies on which it is applied.
FORCE
We can de ne force as a push or a pull acting on
an object. e direction in which an object is
pushed or pulled is called the direction of the
force. All forces involve some kind of a push or a
pull. In all the above examples, the football was
pushed to make it move or change its direction.
In some cases, we apply force by pulling an
object. For example, the rickshaw puller pulls the
rickshaw and makes it move in the direction he
wants to. Sometimes we apply force by pushing it
from opposite sides (squeezing) or by pulling it
from opposite sides (stretching). For example, we
squeeze the toothpaste out of the tube and we
stretch a rubber band. Stretching and squeezing
can change the shape of a body.
 Fig.1 Force is a push or a pull acting on an object

All of these are examples of the application of between the man and the car when the man
force. Let us see more examples. starts applying force by pushing the car. Due to
this force, the car starts to move.
Force as a Push
u To open a door, we push the door handle.
u If a car does not start, we need to push it.
u To move a trolley, we push it.
u When squeezing a sponge, we push it from
all directions.
u A water- lled balloon can be squeezed.

Force as a Pull
u To close a door, we pull the door handle.
u To move a cart, the horse or bull pulls it.
u Rubber bands and springs can be stretched.

Force is Due to an Interaction

If you stand in front of a door, it will not open by Fig.2 Force acts on the car when an interaction occurs
itself. You have to interact with the door by
In the above example, the man was applying
pushing or pulling it. A force can only be
force, while the car was not applying any force.
applied when there is an interaction between at
Now let’s take an example where both objects can
least two objects. At least two objects must
apply force.
interact with each other for a force to show its
effect. e dog and the boy in Fig.3 are interacting with
each other by applying force on each other by
Let us see more examples to notice the
pulling the rope.
interaction between two objects by applying
force.
Suppose, a man is standing behind a stationary
car. Since, there is no interaction between the
man and the car, no force is being applied to the
car and hence, the car does not move.
Now, suppose the man moves ahead and pushes
the car with his hands. ere is an interaction
Fig.3 e dog and the boy pulling a rope
Force and Pressure 167

Fig.4 Two boys pushing each other
e two boys in Fig.4 are interacting with each
other by pushing each other.
Force has a Magnitude as well as a Direction
Activity-1
Aim: To show that force has magnitude as well
as direction.
Procedure: Choose a heavy object like a table
or a box, which you can move only by pushing
very hard.
Try to push it all by yourself. Can you move it?
You might be able to move it with some
difficulty. Now ask one of your friends for help
in pushing it in the same direction as you
(Fig.5).
Can you push it more easily? Why?
Fig.5 Forces in the same direction
Now push the same object again, but ask your
friend to push it from the opposite side.
(Fig.6)
Does the object move now? If it does, note the
direction in which it moves. Can you guess
168 Exploring Science-8
which one of you is applying the greater
force?
Fig.6 Forces in the opposite directions
Observation: Objects move in the direction
towards which you apply the force. In the rst
case, moving the object became easy with the
help of a friend. In the second case, there was
little or no movement of the object, as both
friends were applying force from opposite
sides, which worked against each other.
Conclusion: Force has direction as well as
magnitude.
From the above activity, we can conclude that a
force can be large or small. A small child would
have found it difficult to push the heavy object,
whereas a strong man would have easily pushed
the same object with much ease. erefore, the
strength of the force applied by the child and the
man are not the same. is strength of a force is
called its magnitude. e SI unit of force is
‘newton’ (N). e magnitude of a force is
expressed in newton (N).
From the above activity, we can also conclude that:
u If two (or more) forces are applied to an
object in the same direction, they add up.
e resultant force or net force acting on the
object is a single force whose magnitude is the
sum of the two forces. e resultant force acts
in the same direction as the two forces.
u If two forces applied to an object act in
opposite directions, they try to cancel each
other. e magnitude of the resultant force
 acting on the object is the difference between
the two forces. Naturally, if the two opposite
forces are equal, the resultant force is zero.
is could be easily understood by observing
the game of ‘tug of war’. Since both teams
apply force by pulling the rope in opposite
directions, the rope moves towards the team
that applies more force. If both teams apply
the same magnitude of force, the rope doesn’t
move at all.
Fig.7 Forces acting in opposite
direction try to cancel each other
EFFECTS OF FORCE
A force acting on an object can be noticed by the
effects it produces on the object.
What effects can a force produce?
A force can produce the following effects:
u A force can make an object move or come to
rest.
u A force can change the speed of a moving
object.
u A force can change the direction of a moving
object.
u A force can change the shape of an object.
A Force can Make an Object Move or
Come to Rest
is means that a force can make a stationary
object move, or it can make a moving object
stationary.
We have seen that by kicking a stationary
football, we can make it move. Before kicking the
football, the ball was at rest, which means that it
Force and Pressure
was not moving. e speed of an object at rest is
zero. Aer we apply a force to this object
(football), it gains some speed and moves in the
direction in which the force is being applied.
Similarly, when the goalkeeper blocks a goal, he
generally tries to make the moving football come
to rest by catching it.
In this case, the object (football) which is already
in motion is brought to rest by applying force to
it, in the direction opposite to the motion.
Fig.8 e force applied by goalkeeper makes the
moving football stop
A Force can Change the Speed of a
Moving Object
A goalkeeper applies force to stop a moving
football and reduces its speed to zero. If he is not
able to stop the ball properly, it may only slow
down and not come to rest. You would have also
seen a football player kick a moving ball to
increase its speed.
Let’s take another example, suppose you are
riding a bicycle in a park. Now, if a friend comes
along and pushes the bicycle from behind, the
speed of your bicycle increases. On the other
hand, if your friend tries to pull the bicycle back
from behind, the speed of the bicycle decreases.
is means that a force can increase or decrease
the speed of a body in motion.
169
 A Force can Change the Direction of a
Moving Object
In a cricket match, when a batsman hits a moving
ball with his bat, he applies force to change the
direction of the moving ball. In football too, a
player may hit a moving ball at an angle to change
its direction.
speed. An object may be at rest or in motion;
both are its states of motion.
A force may not always bring a change in the state
of motion of an object. For example, if you push a
wall, there is no change in the state of motion of
the wall.
A Force can Change the Shape of an Object
Apart from changing the state of motion of an
object, a force can also change the shape of the
object to which it is applied. For example: If you
squeeze a sponge or pull a spring, their shape
changes.

Fig.9 e batsman applies force to

change the direction of the moving ball
In all the above examples, the speed and direction
of the moving object change due to the
application of a force. A change in either the
speed of an object or its direction of motion or
both is described as a change in its state of
motion. us, a force may bring a change in the
state of motion of an object.
e state of motion of an object is described by
its speed and the direction of motion. e state
of rest is considered to be the state of zero
Fig.10 Force can change the shape of the spring
Similarly, in the kitchen, the cook applies force
on a ball of dough using a rolling pin (belan) to
make chapatis. By applying force, you can
increase or reduce the length of the chapati.
A force may not always bring a change in the
shape of an object. For example, if you try to
squeeze or stretch an iron ball, its shape or size
does not change.

Activity-2
Some situations have been given in Column 1 of the Table on the next page, in which objects are
not free to move. Column 2 of the Table suggests the manner in which a force can be applied on
each object, while Column 3 shows a diagram of the action. Try to observe the effect of force in as
many situations as possible. You can also add similar situations using available materials from
your environment. Note your observations in Columns 4 and 5 of the Table.

170 Exploring Science-8

 Table: Studying the Effect of Force on Objects
Action of Force

Mode of Applying Change in

Situation Diagram Change in
State of
Force Shape
Motion

Yes/No Yes/No

A lump of dough on a Pressing it down with

plate. your hands.

Spring xed to the

By sitting on the seat.
seat of a bicycle.

A rubber band suspended

from a hook/nail xed By pulling its free end.
on a surface.
A plastic or metal scale
By placing a weight at the
placed between two
centre of the scale.
bricks.

TYPES OF FORCE Let us study these contact and non-contact

We come across various kinds of forces in nature.
All types of forces can be classi ed into two
groups—Contact forces and Non-contact forces.
Contact forces are the forces which act on a
body only when they are in physical contact
with the body. ese are forces which are
exerted by an object on another object, only by
means of physical contact (i.e., touching the
object to pull or push the object). e two main
types of contact forces are—Muscular force and
Frictional force.
Non-contact forces are forces which act on a
body without being in physical contact with it.
ese are forces which are exerted by an object
on another object without the means of physical
contact (i.e., without touching the object to pull
or push the object). e three main types of
non-contact forces are—Magnetic force,
Electrostatic force and Gravitational force.
Force and Pressure
forces in detail.
CONTACT FORCES
Muscular Force
When you do any physical activity, you use your
muscles to apply a force. For example, when you
push a heavy box, pull a door open or kick a ball,
you apply force using your muscles.
To pick a fallen object, a force is applied by the
muscles of your arm. Similarly, to kick a ball, a
force is exerted by the muscles of your leg.
e force exerted by the action of the muscles
in our body is known as the muscular force.
e muscular force also acts inside our body. For
example, the blood gets pushed into our blood
vessels by the muscular force exerted by our
heart. In the process of digestion, the food gets
pushed through the alimentary canal using its
muscular force.
171
 Apart from human beings, animals also exert
muscular force. For example, animals like oxen,
bulls, horses and donkeys use muscular force to
pull carts. Elephants are used to pull heavy logs
of wood. In the cold Arctic regions, animals like
sledge dogs and reindeer are used to pull the
sledges. All these animals use muscular force to
do their work.
Since muscular force can be applied only when
it is in contact with an object, it is a type of
contact force.
Fig.11 Muscular force being applied by the bulls
Frictional Force (Friction)
What happens when you gently kick a ball? It
rolls around for some time, travels some distance,
and eventually comes to a halt. We know that we
have applied a force to make the ball (stationary
object) move. We also know that a force is
required to make a moving object come to rest.
is means that a force must be acting against the
moving ball to decrease its speed and make it
come to rest. is force is exerted by the ground
on which the ball is rolling. It is called friction.
e force that slows a moving body or prevents
it from moving over another body is called
frictional force or friction. e frictional force
is applied by the object/body over which another
object/body is trying to move. In the above
example, the frictional force is applied by the
ground over which the ball is moving.
A frictional force acts only when two surfaces
are in contact with each other. e force of
172 Exploring Science-8
friction acts only on moving objects, and in the
direction opposite to the direction of motion.
While riding a bicycle, you keep pedalling the
bicycle. If you stop pedalling the moving bicycle,
it slows down, and gradually stops. is is an
example of the friction applied by the road on the
tyre of the bicycle. When you stop applying force,
the frictional force acting on the tyres of the
bicycle opposes the motion and eventually
brings the bicycle to rest.
We know that we need a force to stop a moving
body. Imagine if there was no friction. Like in the
above example, you would stop pedalling the
bicycle for it to stop, but there won’t be any force
acting against the movement of the tyres to stop
it. e tyres of the bicycle would just keep
rotating and the moving bicycle would not come
to rest until it collides with another object.
erefore, we can conclude that even though
friction resists the movement of a body, it is a
necessary force.
Since the force of friction arises due to the
contact between different surfaces, it is also an
example of a contact force.
NON-CONTACT FORCES
Magnetic Force
Activity-3
Take a pair of bar magnets. Place one of the
bar magnets over three round-shaped pencils
or wooden rollers, as shown in Fig.12.
Now, bring one end of the other magnet near
the end of the magnet placed on the rollers.
Make sure that the two magnets do not touch
each other. Observe what happens. (Fig.12)
Next, bring the other end of the magnet near
 the same end of the magnet placed on the
rollers (Fig.13). Note what happens to the
magnet placed on the rollers every time
another magnet is brought near it.
Magnet placed
on rollers

Magnetic force
of attraction Fig.14 A magnet attracting pins made of iron
S N S N
We know that a magnet can exert a force on
another magnet or magnetic substance without
Magnet
being in contact with it. erefore, the force
Round pencils
exerted by a magnet on a piece of iron is a non-
Fig.12 Magnetic force of attraction
between unlike poles of two bar magnets contact force.
Electrostatic Force
Magnet placed
on rollers Activity-4
Magnetic force Take a clean comb (free from oil) and some
of repulsion
bits of paper. Brush your dry hair briskly with
N S S N
the comb for at least one minute. Aer
Magnet brushing your hair for some time, bring the
comb near the bits of paper and observe.
Round pencils
We nd that the comb attracts the tiny pieces
Fig.13 Magnetic force of repulsion of paper when it is brought near them. e
between like poles of two bar magnets
tiny pieces of paper try to move towards the
comb and eventually stick to it.
A magnet attracts magnetic substances, like Why does this happen? Do you think, there is
other magnets, iron, steel, nickel, cobalt, etc. We a force acting between the comb and the bits
have already studied about magnets in Class VII. of paper?
We know that they attract (pull) magnetic
substances and also repel (push) the like poles of
other magnets. is attraction or repulsion
caused by a magnet is due to the force generated
by the magnet.
e force exerted by a magnet is called a
magnetic force. When magnets attract other
magnetic objects, they apply the magnetic force Tiny pieces
of paper
of attraction. When a pole of a magnet repels the
like pole of another magnet, it applies the
Fig.15 Electrostatically charged comb
magnetic force of repulsion. attracts tiny pieces of paper
Force and Pressure 173

Activity-5
Take a plastic straw and cut it into two equal
pieces. Suspend one of the pieces of the straw
from the edge of a table with the help of a
piece of thread, as shown in Fig.16.
Now, hold the other piece of straw in your
hand and rub its free end with a sheet of
paper. Bring the rubbed end of the straw near
the other straw suspended from the table.
Make sure that the two pieces do not touch
each other.
What do you observe?
You would notice that the suspended straw is
attracted towards the straw rubbed with
paper.
en, rub the free end of the suspended piece
of straw with a sheet of paper. Again, bring
the piece of straw that was rubbed earlier with
paper, near the free end of the suspended
straw. What do you observe now?
You will notice that the suspended straw
repels the straw rubbed with paper.
We can conclude that a force must be acting
in between the straws to cause the attraction
and repulsion between them.
Fig.16 A straw rubbed with paper attracts
another straw, but repels it if it has
also been rubbed with a sheet of paper
174 Exploring Science-8
In the above two activities, the comb and the
straw are said to have acquired electric charge.
When the dry comb is rubbed with dry hair and
the straw is rubbed with a dry sheet of paper, they
both acquire an electric charge on them. e dry
comb and the straw are said to have become
charged bodies. e electric charge enables them
to attract other dry objects by producing an
electrostatic force.
e force exerted by a charged body on another
charged or uncharged body is known as
electrostatic force. When a charged body
attracts another charged or uncharged body,
they apply the electrostatic force of attraction.
When a charged body repels another charged or
uncharged body, it applies the electrostatic force
of repulsion.
e electrostatic force can be exerted by a
charged object on another object without
coming in contact with it. erefore, the force
exerted by a charged body is a non-contact
force.
Gravitational Force (Gravity)
When you are holding a ball in your hand, it is at
rest, but as soon as you leave the ball, it starts
falling to the ground. Have you ever wondered
why this happens?
e ball which was at rest in your hand came to
motion upon its release. It started falling to the
ground. ere must be some force which must
have made the stationary ball move towards the
ground. is is the gravitational force of the
Earth.
Similarly, when you throw a ball up in the sky,
you apply a force on the ball towards the sky, but
aer travelling some distance, the ball does not
come to rest. It slows down and then changes its
direction and starts falling back to the ground.
Just like you applied force on the ball to move up
towards the sky, there must also be a force acting
on the ball which pulled it towards the ground.
All of the above are examples of gravitational
force (gravity). In fact, this gravitational force is
acting on you and all the objects around you all
the time. It is because of this gravitational force
that we don’t launch into the sky as soon as we
take a jump.
Fig.17 Isaac Newton
discovered the
gravitational force aer
he saw a falling apple
Objects or things fall towards the Earth because
it pulls them. When an apple is hanging on a
branch of a tree, the Earth is constantly trying to
pull it towards itself and the apple tree is trying to
hold the apple on the branch. As soon as the net
force exerted on the apple is towards the Earth, it
breaks from the branch and falls to the ground.
e gravitational force (of the Earth) is the
force with which the Earth pulls everything
towards itself. Gravity is a force of attraction.
Checkpoint-1
Write True or False
1. A force can change the size of an object.
2. Some forces have no direction.
3. Force cannot change the state of motion of an object.
4. Some forces do not require contact between objects.
5. Magnetic force is a contact force.
PRESSURE
We have learnt about atmospheric pressure in
Class VII. We learnt that atmospheric pressure is
de ned as the force exerted by the atmosphere
on a unit of area.
erefore, we can conclude that there is a
relationship between pressure and force.
Force and Pressure
e force of gravity acts on all objects. It acts on
all of us, all the time, without us being aware of it.
Water begins to ow towards the ground as soon
as we open a tap.
Gravity is not a unique property of the Earth
alone. In fact, every object in the universe,
whether small or large, exerts a force on every
other object. is force is known as the
gravitational force.
e gravitational force exerted by an object on
another object is directly proportional to the
mass of the object, and inversely proportional to
the distance between the two objects.
Imagine two cars parked on the road. ese two
cars try to pull each other with their respective
gravitational forces, but they are not able to pull
each other because the force between them is
very small. Also, compared to the cars, the Earth
has such a large mass that the objects on the
Earth are pulled towards the Earth more than
they are pulled towards each other.
e gravitational force can be exerted on all
objects without being in contact with them.
erefore, the gravitational force is a non-
contact force.
______________
______________
______________
______________
______________
Pressure is produced when a force acts on an
object.
We have already studied that when we apply
force on an object, it can produce different kinds
of effects. However, the amount of effect a force
will produce on the object depends on the
pressure applied.
175
 Let us consider an example. When we hammer a
nail into a wooden plank, we touch the pointed
side of the nail on the wood and apply force on
the head of the nail. In this situation, the force
applied through the nail on the wooden plank is
over a very tiny area of the wood (the area of
wood in contact with the pointed tip of the nail).
We also notice that if we apply more force, the
nail goes deeper into the plank, and if we apply
less force, the nail does not go as deep into the
plank.
What would happen if we reverse the position of
the nail and try to hammer the nail into the
wooden plank by its head? It would be more
difficult to push the nail into the wood. In this
situation, the force applied through the nail on
the wooden plank will be over a much larger area
of the wood. is will reduce the pressure
applied on the wood, and thus the effect caused
by the force.
Fig.18 Pushing a nail into a wooden plank
From the above example, we can conclude that
the effect that a force produces on an object
depends on two factors:
u e magnitude of the force applied—the
greater the force, the greater its effect.
u e area over which the force is
applied—the greater the area, the smaller
the effect.
is effect of the force acting on an object
could be measured using a quantity called
‘pressure’. Pressure takes into account the
176 Exploring Science-8
amount of force applied on an object and the
amount of area over which the force is applied.
Pressure is de ned as the amount of force
being applied per unit area.
Pressure = Force
Area over which it acts
Note:
At this stage, we consider only those forces which act
perpendicular to the surface on which the pressure is to
be computed.
e SI unit for measuring force is ‘newton’ (N)
and the SI unit of area is ‘square metre’ (m ).
erefore, the SI unit of pressure is N/m ,
which is also called pascal (Pa).
Application of Pressure in Daily Life
u School bags have wide straps made of thick
cloth so that the area of contact increases and
the weight of the bag falls over a larger area of
the shoulder. is reduces the pressure on the
shoulders of the children and makes it easier
for them to carry the load.
u Porters place a round piece of cloth on their
heads when they have to carry heavy loads. By
doing this, they increase the area of contact
with their head. is increase in the area of
contact reduces the pressure on their head,
and they nd it easy to carry the load.
u Trucks meant to carry heavy loads have six to
eight wheels in order to increase the area of
contact with the road. is increase in the area
of contact with the road decreases the pressure
applied by the weight of the truck on the tyres.
u Cutting and piercing tools, such as knives,
blades and needles, have sharp edges or
points. is reduces the area of contact. It
enables them to apply greater pressure with
less amount of force. at is why, sharp knives
can cut objects very easily, while it is difficult
to cut objects using blunt knives.
 Fig.19 Applications of pressure in daily life

u A camel can easily walk on desert sand due to Pressure Exerted by Liquids
its broad feet. As the area of contact increases, Liquids exert pressure as well. Liquids exert
less pressure is exerted on the sand, thus, pressure at the bottom as well as on the sides of
enabling the camel to walk on sand. the container in which they are kept.

Activity-6
Aim: To show that liquids exert a downward pressure.
Glass tube
Materials required: A transparent glass tube, a de ated Higher
water column of
rubber balloon and water. water
Procedure: Take a transparent glass tube open at both
ends, and tie a de ated rubber balloon at one of its ends.
Hold the tube vertically with the de ated balloon at the Rubber
bottom end. Now pour some water into the tube from the balloon

top end (open end). (Fig.20). Notice the change in size of

Fig.20 e rubber balloon bulges
the de ated rubber balloon. Observe the changes in the out as the downward pressure
size of the balloon as you keep pouring more water. exerted by water increases
Observation: When we pour some water into the glass tube, the balloon at the bottom stretches and
bulges out. As we pour more water into the tube, the height of the water column increases along with
the size of the bulge in the rubber balloon.
Conclusion:
(1) Liquids exert pressure downwards, i.e., they exert pressure on the base of the container in which
they are kept.
(2) e pressure exerted by the liquid depends on the height of the liquid column in the container.

Activity-7
Aim: To show that liquids exert pressure sideways.
Materials required: A transparent plastic bottle with a tap-like opening, a de ated rubber balloon
and water.
Procedure: Take a transparent plastic bottle with a tap-like opening, a few centimetres above the
bottom of the bottle. Tie a de ated rubber balloon over the tap-like opening. Now, ll half of the
plastic bottle with water and notice the change in the size of the de ated rubber balloon (Fig.21).
Observe the changes in the size of the balloon as you keep pouring more water.
Force and Pressure 177
 Observation: When we pour some water into Plastic
bottle
the plastic bottle, the balloon on the side of the
bottle stretches and bulges outwards. As we Water
Rubber
pour more water into the bottle, the height of balloon
the water column increases along with the size
of the bulge in the rubber balloon.
Conclusion: Fig.21 e rubber balloon bulges out as
the sideways pressure exerted by water increases
(1) Liquids exert pressure sideways, i.e., they
exert pressure on the side walls of the container in which they are kept.
(2) e pressure exerted by the liquid depends on the height of the liquid column in the container.

From the above two activities, we can conclude
that:
u Liquids exert downward pressure.
u Liquids exert sideways pressure.
We can also observe that apart from the direction
of pressure, the amount of liquid present in the
container affects the magnitude of the pressure
exerted by the liquid. Let us conduct two
activities to observe the variations of liquid
pressure with depth.

Activity-8
Aim: To show that pressure exerted by a liquid varies with depth.
Materials required: A transparent vessel, three short
glass tubes and water. Least depth,
least pressure
Procedure: Take a transparent vessel and mark 3 points
A, B and C on the same side of the vessel at different A
depths. Create holes of the same size at points A, B and B
C. Fit three glass tubes of equal diameters to points A, B
and C. Plug the opening at A, B and C using corks. C
Now ll the vessel with water and remove the corks
quickly. Notice the pressure of water coming out from Greatest depth, greatest pressure
A, B and C (Fig.22). Fig.22 Pressure in a liquid
Observation: On removing the corks: increases with depth

(1) e water from the uppermost tube, A travels the shortest distance from the base of the vessel.
(2) e water from the middle tube, B travels slightly farther than A.
(3) e water from the lowermost tube, C travels the farthest distance from the base of the vessel.
Conclusion: e pressure exerted by a liquid varies with depth. e pressure exerted by a
liquid increases with increasing depth inside the liquid. Liquids exert maximum pressure at the
bottom.

178 Exploring Science-8

 Activity-9
Aim: To show that a liquid exerts equal
pressure in all directions at the same depth.
Materials required: A transparent plastic
bottle and water.
Procedure: Take an empty transparent
plastic bottle or a cylindrical container. Drill
four holes all around near the bottom of the
bottle (Fig.23). Make sure that the holes are at Fig.23 Liquids exert equal
the same height from the bottom. pressure at the same depth
Now ll the bottle with water. Observe the jets of water coming out of the bottle. Do the different
streams of water coming out of the holes fall at the same distance from the bottle? What does it
indicate?
Observation: e water comes out of the holes of the bottle with the same force in all directions.
Conclusion:
(1) A liquid exerts pressure on the walls of the container.
(2) At the same depth, the pressure exerted by a liquid is the same in all directions.

From the above two activities, we can conclude
that:
u e pressure exerted by a liquid varies with
depth. e greater the depth of a point in a
liquid, the greater the pressure exerted on it
by the liquid.
u Liquids exert equal pressure in all directions
at the same depth.
Pressure Exerted by Gases
Just like solids and liquids, gases also exert
pressure. Gases exert pressure in all directions.
ey exert pressure on the walls of the container
as well as the top and the bottom of the container
in which they are kept.
Why do you have to close the mouth of an
in ated balloon? What would happen if we
opened the mouth of an in ated balloon? e
answer is—We need to close the mouth of the
balloon so that air (a mixture of gases) trapped
inside the balloon does not escape. You would
have seen that as soon as we open the mouth of
Force and Pressure
an in ated balloon, the air (a mixture of gases)
trapped inside the balloon escapes through the
hole and the balloon gets de ated.
Why do you think we are able to in ate a balloon
by blowing air into it? When we in ate a balloon,
the air goes inside the balloon and exerts
pressure in all directions on the walls of the
balloon from inside. Since balloons are generally
made of light materials which can be easily
stretched , the pressure exerted by the air in ates
the balloon in all directions.
Suppose you have a balloon which has holes.
Would you be able to in ate it? If not, why?
You would have noticed that when there is a
puncture in the bicycle tube, the air rushes out of
the tube tyre. is is because the air inside the
tyre exerts pressure in all directions, and as soon
as it nds a hole, the air rushes out through it.
From the above discussion, we can conclude that
air exerts pressure in all directions.
179
 Atmospheric Pressure atmospheric pressure is also de ned as the
We know that the surface of the Earth is force exerted by the air in the atmosphere over
surrounded by a thick layer of air, known as the a unit area.
Top of the atmosphere
atmosphere. e atmospheric air extends upto
many kilometres above the surface of the Earth.
is air has mass, and it exerts pressure on the
surface of the Earth. We all have to bear this
pressure of air on us and our body is adapted to
live under this pressure. e pressure exerted by Surface
the air present in the atmosphere is known as
the atmospheric pressure.
Unit area
We have already studied that pressure is the
amount of force applied per unit area. erefore, Fig.24 Weight of the air in the column
applies a pressure on point “X”

Activity-10
Aim: To show the existence of atmospheric pressure.
Materials required: A tumbler, water and a piece of
cardboard.
Procedure: Take a tumbler and ll water up to the
brim. Place a cardboard over the top of the water- lled
tumbler. Now, holding the cardboard and the tumbler Weight
in place over a sink, turn the tumbler upside down.
Remove the hand gently away from the cardboard.
Observation: You will notice that the piece of
cardboard over the mouth of the tumbler remains
intact, and the water stays in the tumbler. Atmospheric pressure
Fig.25 Atmospheric pressure acting
Conclusion: ere must be a force acting on the on the surface of the cardboard
cardboard, which prevents it from falling down. is
force is caused by the air present below the cardboard. is proves the presence of atmospheric
pressure.

Magnitude of Atmospheric Pressure If the column of air above the unit area is very
We know that atmospheric pressure is due to the tall, the weight of the air (force exerted by the air
force exerted by the weight of the air above a unit on the ground) would be very high. Due to the
area. Now, if we imagine a unit area with a high weight of air over the unit area, the pressure
column of air standing on it, it would give us an acting over the area would also be very high.
idea of the atmospheric pressure acting on the If the column of air above the unit area is very
area. short, the weight of the air (force exerted by the
180 Exploring Science-8
air on the ground) would be very low. Due to the
low weight of air over the unit area, the pressure
acting over the area would also be very low.
A tall
column
of air A short column
of air
Unit area
Fig.26 Atmospheric pressure changes
with the height of the air column
From the above discussion, we can conclude
that—as a surface go es hig her in the
atmosphere, the atmospheric pressure acting
on the surface decreases. erefore, if we were
to calculate the atmospheric pressure on the top
of a mountain and at its base, we would nd that
the atmospheric pressure at the top of the
mountain would be much less than at its base.
On the surface of the Earth, the atmospheric
pressure is maximum at the sea level.
Applications of Atmospheric Pressure
u Drinking straws: A drinking straw works on
the principle of air pressure. When you suck
on the straw, you suck out the air in the straw.
is reduces the air pressure inside the straw.
e higher air pressure on the surface of the
drink forces the drink up in the straw to your
mouth.
As you suck the air out of the
straw, it creates a low-pressure
zone inside it. ere is nothing
pushing down on the liquid
inside the straw, so it moves
upwards easily.
Fig.27 Liquid rises in the straw due to air pressure
Force and Pressure
u Syringes: A syringe works similar to a straw.
When the nozzle of a syringe is dipped into a
liquid and its piston is pulled, the air pressure
inside the syringe drops. e higher air
pressure on the surface of the liquid forces
the liquid up into the syringe.
Fig.28 Liquid rises in the syringe due to air pressure
u Medicine droppers: A medicine dropper
also works on the principle of air pressure.
When the nozzle of the dropper is inserted
into a liquid and the rubber bulb at its top is
pressed, the air inside the dropper escapes in
the form of bubbles. When the pressure on
the rubber bulb is released, the air pressure
inside the dropper lowers, and the liquid
surrounding the tube of the dropper rushes
inside the tube.
Rubber bulb
Dropper
Nozzle
Fig.29 A dropper
u Rubber suckers: A rubber sucker is a small
rubber cup-shaped device with a handle on
the top. It can be used to stick any object
rmly to a at surface using the principles of
air pressure. When we press the base of a
rubber sucker on a at surface, most of the
air between the base of the rubber sucker and
181
 the at surface escapes out. e sucker sticks
to the at surface because the atmospheric
pressure acting on the outside of the sucker is
much higher than the pressure of the air
trapped inside the sucker. e sucker sticks
so rmly to the at surface that it would
require a lot more force to pull the sucker
apart from the at surface. Rubber suckers
can, therefore, be attached to various objects
in order to stick them to a at surface.
If a rubber sucker is stuck to a at surface in such
a way that there is no air le between the sucker
and the surface, the force applied to release the
sucker should be large enough to overcome the
atmospheric pressure. In fact, it would not be
possible for any human being to pull the sucker
off the surface.
is gives us an idea of how large the
atmospheric pressure is.
We are not crushed under the atmospheric
pressure because the pressure inside our
bodies is also equal to the atmospheric
pressure, and thus it balances the pressure
from outside. If the atmospheric pressure
around us suddenly drops too much, blood
vessels carrying our blood would burst open.
is is the reason why astronauts in space wear
special space suits that keeps the pressure
surrounding their bodies close to the air pressure
on the Earth.

Atmospheric Rubber sucker

Rubber sucker Flat pressure (pushes on
surface rubber sucker)
Hook
Low
atmospheric
pressure

Atmospheric
pressure

(a) A rubber sucker (b) e rubber sucker attached to a at (c) A hook made using
surface. Atmospheric pressure holds the a rubber sucker
rubber sucker rmly on the surface.
Fig.30 Working of a rubber sucker

Knowledge Booster
Combustion and ame
O o von Guericke, a German scien st of the 17 century, invented a pump to extract air out of a vessel. With the help
of this pump, he demonstrated drama cally the force of the air pressure. He joined two hollow metallic hemispheres
of 51 cm diameter each and pumped air out of them. Then he employed eight horses on each hemisphere to pull
them apart (Fig.31). So great is the force of air pressure ac ng on the outer surface of the hemispheres that they
could not be pulled apart.

Fig.31 Otto Von Guericke’s hemisphere experiment

182 Exploring Science-8

Checkpoint-2
Fill in the blanks
1. Pressure is produced when ______________ acts on an object.
2. e SI unit of pressure is ______________.
3. School bags have ______________ straps to reduce the pressure on the shoulders.
4. e pressure exerted by the ______________ is known as atmospheric pressure.
5. e atmospheric pressure is maximum at ______________ on the surface of the Earth.

Keywords
Force : A pull or a push acting on an object.
Magnitude : e strength of a unit.
Contact force : A force which requires physical contact with an object to act on it.
Non-contact force : A force which does not require physical contact with an object to act on it.
Friction : A force that opposes the motion of a moving object.
Pressure : Force exerted per unit area.
Atmospheric pressure : Pressure exerted on all objects by the atmosphere.

Points to Remember
u Force is a push or a pull acting on an object. e direction in which an object is pushed or
pulled is called the direction of the force.
u A force can only be applied when there is an interaction between at least two objects.
u Force has magnitude as well as direction.
u e SI unit of force is newton (N).
u Force can have various effects on a body. It can make a stationary object move, change the
speed of a moving object, change the shape or size of an object and make a moving body
come to rest.
u When two or more forces act on an object in different directions, the effect on the object is
due to the net force (resultant force) acting on it.
u Contact forces are forces which act on a body, only when they are in physical contact with the
body. Muscular force and frictional force are examples of contact forces.
u Non-contact forces are forces which act on a body, without being in physical contact with the
body. Magnetic, electrostatic and gravitational forces are examples of non-contact forces.
u e force that slows a moving body or prevents it from moving over another body is called a
frictional force or friction.
u e force exerted by a charged body on another charged or uncharged body is known as
electrostatic force.
Force and Pressure 183
 u e gravitational force (of the Earth) is the force with which the Earth pulls everything
towards itself.
u Pressure is produced when a force acts on an object.
u Pressure is the force exerted per unit area.
u e SI unit of pressure is pascal (Pa).
u Liquids and gases exert pressure on the walls of their container.
u e pressure exerted by liquids increases with depth, but at the same depth, the pressure
exerted by a liquid is equal in all directions.
u Liquids exert maximum pressure at the bottom of a container.
u e pressure exerted by the air around us is known as the atmospheric pressure.
u Atmospheric pressure is exerted equally in all directions.
u Atmospheric pressure reduces with an increase in altitude.

Exercise
A. Tick (3) the Correct Option
1. e unit of force is:
(a) Pa (b) m
(c) N (d) A
2. e unit of pressure is:
(a) N (b) V
(c) Hz (d) Pa
3. Which force is exerted by all matters on all other matters?
(a) Muscular force (b) Gravitational force
(c) Electrostatic force (d) Magnetic force
4. When we press the bulb of a dropper with its nozzle kept in water, the air in the dropper is
seen to escape in the form of bubbles. Once we release the pressure on the bulb, water gets
lled in the dropper. e rise of water in the dropper is due to the:
(a) pressure of water (b) gravity of the Earth
(c) shape of rubber bulb (d) atmospheric pressure
5. A force of 50 N acts on an area of 10m . If the force is kept the same, but the area on which
the force is applied is halved, what would be its effect on the resultant pressure?
(a) e pressure remains constant (b) Pressure is doubled
(c) Pressure is halved (d) None of these

184 Exploring Science-8

B. Fill in the Blanks with Suitable Words
1. To draw water from a well, we have to ______________ at the rope.
2. e strength of a force is called its ______________.
3. If two opposite forces are equal, the resultant force is ______________.
4. A change in either the speed of an object or its direction of motion or both, is described as a
change in its ______________.
5. e frictional force acts only when two surfaces are in ______________ with each other.
6. A charged body ______________ an uncharged body towards it.
7. Pressure is produced when a ______________ acts on an object.
8. Liquids exert pressure on the ______________ as well as the ______________ of the
container in which they are kept.
C. Very Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. What is a force?
2. If force is applied to a stationary object, does it always move?
3. Name the force that always opposes motion.
4. At least two objects must interact with each other for a force to show its effect. True or false?
5. What is the magnitude of a force? What is the SI unit of measurement of force?
6. What are contact forces? Give an example.
7. What are non-contact forces? Give an example.
8. De ne pressure.
9. De ne atmospheric pressure.
10. Mention two everyday objects that function on the principle of atmospheric pressure.
D. Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. With the help of an example, show that a force can be applied only when there is an
interaction between at least two objects.
2. When are two or more forces added to determine the resultant force and when are two or
more forces subtracted to get the resultant force?
3. What are the effects of force?
4. Muscular forces can act inside as well as outside our body. Explain with examples.
5. Which factors affect the pressure produced by a force?
6. Mention a few applications of pressure in daily life.
7. With the help of an example, prove that air exerts pressure in all directions.
8. How does atmospheric pressure vary with altitude?
9. Explain how a rubber sucker sticks to a at surface.
10. What would happen to our body if there was no atmospheric pressure?

Force and Pressure 185

 E. Long-Answer-Type Questions
1. With the help of a simple experiment, show that a force has magnitude as well as direction.
2. Explain the four effects that a force can produce with an example for each.
3. With the help of an example, explain the factors that affect the magnitude of pressure.
4. With the help of a simple experiment, show that liquids exert a downward pressure.
5. With the help of a simple experiment, prove that a liquid exerts equal pressure in all
directions at the same depth.

HOTS
1. A blacksmith hammers a hot piece of iron while making a tool. How does the force due to
hammering affect the piece of iron?
2. An in ated balloon was pressed against a wall aer it had been rubbed with a synthetic
cloth. e balloon sticks to the wall. Name the force responsible for the attraction between
the balloon and the wall.
3. Give reasons for the following:
(a) Dams are built broader at the base.
(b) Camels can walk easily on sand.
(c) It is easier to cut with a sharp-edged knife than with a blunt-edged knife.
4. Why does a rubber sucker not stick to rough surfaces?
5. A rocket has been red upwards to launch a satellite in its orbit. Name the two forces acting
on the rocket immediately aer leaving the launching pad.

Activity Zone

Project Work
A. We have studied about the pressure exerted by solids, liquids and gases. ere are different
instruments used to measure the pressure exerted by solids, liquids and gases. Take the help of
your teacher to nd out about these instruments. Find the name of the instruments used to
measure various kinds of pressure. Also, nd out how these instruments function. Make a
detailed report on your ndings. Try to make your own barometer or a manometer using
everyday objects, and the objects available in the school laboratory.

Science Excursion

B. Visit a tyre repair shop and nd out the pressure of air needed for various tyres. Ask the
repairman—What would happen if they ll too little air or too much air in the tyre?

186 Exploring Science-8

 Memory Map

Makes an object move Changes the direction Changes the speed of Changes the shape
or come to rest of a moving object a moving object of an object

Effects

FORCE (Push/Pull)

Types

Contact forces Non-contact forces

Muscular Frictional Magnetic Electrostatic Gravitational

force force force force force

e-Resources
Please visit the link given below or scan the QR code for more resources
on this chapter:

https://www.megamindpublication.com/s-5-science/b-4-exploring-science-8/c-55/
force-and-pressure.html

Force and Pressure 187