NAMATANAI SECCONDARY SCHOOL

SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
GRADE TWELVE PHYSICS

HAND OUT # 1

TOPIC: PASCALS LAW of PRESSURE.

Pascals Law or Pascals Principle states that when a change in pressure is applied to an enclosed fluid,
it is transmitted undiminished to all potion of the fluid and to the walls of the container.
For example, suppose you fill a cylindrical container with water to a height (h) and a cross-sectional
area A and enclose the cylinder with a movable piston and add mass to the piston, the top of the piston
𝑚𝑔
will increase the pressure on the piston lid by 𝐴 . This can be illustrated as;

A Mg

h h

According to Pascals Principle, the pressure at all points in the water changes by the same amount,
𝑚𝑔
𝐴
. The pressure at the bottom of the tank now will be equal to the sum of;

a) Pressure due to weight of fluid.

b) Pressure due to mass
c) Atmospheric pressure.
d)

Deriving Pascals Law formula.

𝐹
The pressure that is exerted in a column is P=𝐴1 ……………………….1
1

The pressure is transmitted equally throughout the liquid. The force experienced by the second
surface is given by;
𝐹
F2 = PA2 or P=𝐴2 ……………………………….2
2

Since pressure is the same throughout,

𝐹1 𝐹 𝐹1 𝐴2
𝐴1
= 𝐴2 or F2= 𝐴1
……………………….3
2

The equation #3 is referred to as the Pascals Formula.

 Exercises on Pressure.

1. Calculate the pressure at the bottom of an enclosed cylindrical tank of diameter 10m, if it
was filled petrol to a depth of 5m.
2. Assumed the tank above (Q1) was not enclosed, determine the pressure at the bottom of
that tank.
3. A column filled with water to a height of 75cm was enclosed with a movable piston of radius
15cm. If a mass of 2.5 kg was placed on the piston lid, calculate;
a. Pressure at base of cylinder before the addition of mass.
b. Force felt at the base of the cylinder.
4. A car jack consists of two cylinders of different diameters but equal height. The cross-
sectional area of the first cylinder is 0.1m2 and the second cylinders has a cross sectional
area of 0.05m2. Calculate;
a. Pressure on the first piston if a force of 100N is exerted.
b. Pressure on the first piston if a force of 150N is exerted.
c. Force felt by second piston due to a force of 50N being exerted.
d. Force felt by second piston due to an input force of 130N.

5. Calculate the water pressure at the base of a dam of height 50m.

6. Calculate the pressure exerted by a force of 30N on a square area of 5cm.