01. What is pressure?
Ans. Effect of force acting normally on a surface i.e. thrust depends on the area on which it acts. Smaller the area
larger is it's effect. The effect of thrust is expressed in terms of a quantity called pressure. Thus pressure is defined as
the thrust per unit area.
𝑇ℎ𝑟𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝐹
Pressure = P = 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 = 𝐴
SI unit is N / m2 or Pa ( Pascal )
02. Name two factors on which pressure on a surface depends.
Ans. i) Magnitude of thrust creating pressure ii) Area on which thrust acts.
03. When does a man exert more pressure on the floor ; while standing or while walking?
Ans. While standing contact area between feet and ground is more as both feet are in contact with the ground. So
pressure exerted is less. But while walking at a time only one foot is in contact with the ground and so contact area is
less and pressure exerted is more.
04. It is easier to cut with a sharp knife. Explain.
Ans. Sharp edges have very small area of contact, so pressure applied by a force is large. Thus it is easier to cut.
05. Why do camels or elephants have broad feet?
Ans. The broader feet of camel or elephant provide lesser pressure on sand as contact area of the feet with sand is
more. So they can move conveniently on sand without any tendency to sink feet inside sand.
06. Why does a lady with pointed heel sandals find difficulty to walk on a muddy road than on a tarred road?
Ans. Pointed heels of footwear exert more pressure on ground as contact area is less. So footwear show a tendency
to sink inside mud making difficult to walk.
07. Heavy trucks have six to eight tyres instead of conventional four tyres. Explain.
Ans. More number of tyres are used to increase the contact area with ground so that the pressure on ground is
reduced. Thus tendency to sink in muddy road is reduced.
08. Why does a porter wear a turban on his head when he has to carry heavy loads?
Ans. Wearing turban on head reducing the area of contact between load and head causes to reduce the pressure on
head due to load.
09. Why do army tanks have caterpillar wheels?
Ans. Army tanks are heavy and exerts large pressure on the ground if they move on wheels and wheels can sink in
ground. Hence they are made to move over the broad steel track called caterpillar wheels. Thus contact area with
road increases and pressure on the ground is reduced.
10. Wide wooden sleepers are placed below the railway tracks. Explain.
Ans. If sleepers were not given, pressure exerted on ground by only rail would be large as contact area between rail
and ground is small. Placing sleepers below rails load of heavy train is distributed through large area and thus
pressure is reduced.
Liquid pressure
11. Why does liquid exert pressure? What is the difference between the pressure exerted by the liquid and solid?
Ans. Liquid exerts pressure due to its weight.
Solid exerts pressure only on the surface at it's bottom. But liquid exerts pressure in all direction because it can flow
in all directions.
12. Derive the expression for liquid pressure at a depth.
Ans. We consider a point P at a depth h from the surface of liquid kept in a cylinder
of area of cross-section A shown in figure. Weight of the liquid above the point is
W = V d g = A h d g = contact force at bottom h
𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝐴ℎ𝑑𝑔
So pressure at P at the bottom = = = ℎ𝑑𝑔
𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝐴
P
13. State the factors on which the pressure at a point in a liquid depends.
Ans. i) Height of the liquid column : Liquid pressure at a point increases with the increase in height of the liquid
column above the point.
ii) The density of the liquid : Liquid pressure increases with the increase in density of the liquid.
14. A dam has broader walls at the bottom. Give a reason.
Ans. Liquid pressure increases with depth. So pressure exerted at bottom is maximum. So at bottom dam is made
broader so that it can withstand the increased pressure.
15. What is hydrostatic paradox?
Ans. Liquid seeks it's own level. The height of level of liquid in containers of different volume and shapes will be same
if all containers are connected at the bottom by a common tube. This is called hydrostatics paradox.
Atmospheric pressure
16. Why does atmosphere exerts pressure? What is its value?
Ans. Atmosphere exerts pressure due to its weight.
It is one atm or 1.013 x 105 Pa or 76 cm of Hg.
17. We do not feel uneasy even under the enormous atmospheric pressure. Give a reason.
Ans. Our blood pressure is slightly greater than atmospheric pressure. Thus blood pressure makes the effect of
atmospheric pressure ineffective.
18. A balloon collapses when air is removed from it. Explain.
Ans. When air is blown balloon bulges because inside pressure is more than atmospheric pressure. Thus after
removing inside air it collapses due to atmospheric pressure.
19. Water does not run out of a dropper unless it's rubber bulb is pressed. Explain.
Ans. When rubber bulb of a dropper is pressed, air inside it is removed and pressure becomes much less than
atmospheric pressure. So atmospheric pressure forces the liquid to rise up in the tube. So to make the water run out
of the tube we have to increase the pressure inside tube above water by pressing the rubber bulb.
20. Two holes are made in a sealed oil tin to take out oil from it. Explain.
Ans. If we try to take out oil from a tin making only one hole, outside atmospheric pressure restricts the coming out
of the oil. If we make another hole, atmospheric pressure through it helps the coming out of the oil through the hole
mentioned earlier.
21. Drink is sucked with a straw. Explain.
Ans. When drink is sucked, pressure inside the straw becomes much less than atmospheric pressure. So atmospheric
pressure forces the liquid to rise up in the straw and then to mouth.
22. Why does nose bleeding often occur at high altitudes?
Ans. Atmospheric pressure is low at high altitudes, but blood pressure inside human body does not change. This
excess pressure inside body causes nose bleeding.
23. How does atmospheric pressure change with altitude?
Ans. Atmospheric pressure is exerted due to weight of the air column. But density of air varies as lower layer gets
compressed maximum due to maximum weight of air column above it. If density were uniform, pressure would
decrease linearly with height like inside liquid. But due to density variation atmospheric pressure decreases
exponentially with altitude.
