Practice Pressure in Physics

Use these practice problems to test your method after reviewing the concept explanation and worked examples.

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Quick Recap

Pressure is the amount of force acting on each unit of area.

Pressure is how concentrated a force is. The same force on a smaller area creates more pressure.

Showing a random 20 of 50 problems.

Example 1

easy
Why do snowshoes stop you sinking into snow? Answer in one principle.

Example 2

hard
A vertical 4 m4 \text{ m} tall, 1.5 m1.5 \text{ m} wide dam wall holds back water to the top. Find the total hydrostatic force on it. (ρ=1000\rho = 1000, g=10g = 10)

Example 3

medium
A scuba diver descends from 5 m5 \text{ m} to 25 m25 \text{ m} in fresh water. By how much does the gauge pressure increase? (ρ=1000\rho = 1000, g=10g = 10)

Example 4

hard
In a U-tube manometer one side connects to a gas at pressure PgP_g and the other side is open. The mercury column on the open side is 0.05 m0.05 \text{ m} higher than on the gas side. Atmospheric pressure is 100 kPa100 \text{ kPa}. Find PgP_g. (ρHg=13600\rho_{Hg}=13600, g=9.8g=9.8)

Example 5

medium
Find the total (absolute) pressure 3 m3 \text{ m} deep in water if atmospheric pressure is 100000 Pa100000 \text{ Pa}. (ρ=1000\rho=1000, g=10g=10)

Example 6

medium
A water tank is 4 m4 \text{ m} deep. Find the pressure halfway down (at 2 m2 \text{ m}) versus at the bottom. (ρ=1000\rho=1000, g=10g=10)

Example 7

hard
A hydraulic press has small-piston area A1=0.005 m2A_1 = 0.005 \text{ m}^2 and large-piston area A2=0.25 m2A_2 = 0.25 \text{ m}^2. The small piston is pushed down 0.20 m0.20 \text{ m}. By how much does the large piston rise?

Example 8

medium
Two connected tubes hold water. The left tube has a 40 N40 \text{ N} load on a 0.02 m20.02 \text{ m}^2 piston. What pressure must the right tube provide to balance it?

Example 9

medium
Why does a sharp knife cut more easily than a dull one for the same applied force?

Example 10

easy
What is the pressure at a depth of 4 m4 \text{ m} in fresh water? Use ρ=1000 kg/m3\rho = 1000 \text{ kg/m}^3 and g=10 m/s2g = 10 \text{ m/s}^2.

Example 11

challenge
A sealed tank of gas at 150000 Pa150000 \text{ Pa} has a circular safety valve of radius 0.05 m0.05 \text{ m} held by a spring. Outside pressure is 100000 Pa100000 \text{ Pa}. Find the net outward force on the valve.

Example 12

medium
A diver descends from 5 m5 \text{ m} to 25 m25 \text{ m} in water. By how much does the gauge pressure increase? (ρ=1000\rho=1000, g=10g=10)

Example 13

easy
Pressure increases by ρgh\rho g h. At what depth in water is ΔP=50000 Pa\Delta P = 50000 \text{ Pa}? (ρ=1000\rho=1000, g=10g=10)

Example 14

challenge
A cylinder of cross-section A=0.01 m2A = 0.01 \text{ m}^2 contains air at P0=100 kPaP_0 = 100 \text{ kPa} trapped by a massless frictionless piston open above. Water is poured on top until 0.5 m0.5 \text{ m} of water sits on the piston. Treating air as isothermal, find the new air pressure. (ρ=1000\rho=1000, g=10g=10)

Example 15

hard
A sealed container of fluid has gauge pressure 40 kPa40 \text{ kPa} at its top. Find the absolute pressure at depth 2 m2 \text{ m} in water below this gas layer. (Patm=100 kPaP_{atm}=100 \text{ kPa}, ρ=1000\rho=1000, g=10g=10)

Example 16

easy
At what depth in fresh water is the gauge pressure 25 kPa25 \text{ kPa}? (ρ=1000\rho=1000, g=10g=10)

Example 17

hard
A flat 0.5 m20.5 \text{ m}^2 window is at the side of a tank, with its top edge 1 m1 \text{ m} below the water surface and its bottom edge 1.5 m1.5 \text{ m} below. Find the hydrostatic force on it. (ρ=1000\rho=1000, g=10g=10)

Example 18

easy
Does pressure in a static fluid depend on the shape of the container at a given depth?

Example 19

challenge
A U-tube holds water on one side and oil (ρ=800\rho=800) on the other. The oil column is 0.10 m0.10 \text{ m} tall above the interface. Find the height of water on the other side that balances it. (ρw=1000\rho_w=1000)

Example 20

easy
Find the pressure 2 m2 \text{ m} deep in water (ρ=1000 kg/m3\rho = 1000 \text{ kg/m}^3, g=10 m/s2g = 10 \text{ m/s}^2).
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