Pressure & Pressure Differences in Fluids (AQA GCSE Physics)

Exam Questions

1 hour10 questions
1a2 marks

Describe how the pressure beneath the surface of a liquid changes with depth and with density.

1b2 marks

Complete the word equation defining pressure in liquids.         

Pressure in a liquid is the _________ of the liquid × gravitational field strength × change in _________.

1c2 marks

Higher Only

Figure 1 shows a pairs of identical objects in a column of liquid. One column is fresh water, and one column is salt water. 

Figure 1 
5-5-e-1c-salt-water-and-seawater-density-1 

State which object, P or Q, experiences the highest pressure and explain your reason.

1d2 marks

Higher Only

Figure 2 shows the same pair of identical objects but the containers have been changed and both now contain fresh water.

Figure 1 
5-5-e-1d-salt-water-and-seawater-density-2

State which object, R or S, experiences the lowest pressure and explain your reason.

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2a1 mark

Higher Only

Figure 1 shows an object under the surface of the sea.

Figure 1

5-5-e-2a-pressure-in-a-fluid-on-an-irregular-object

Which arrow shows where the pressure on the object is greatest?

2b1 mark

A diver is swimming in a lake.

State how the pressure of the water on the diver changes as the diver swims down from the surface of the lake.

2c1 mark

State why the total pressure on the diver is greater than just the pressure due to the water above the diver.

2d2 marks

An aeroplane takes off from the ground.

State two factors that affect the pressure of the atmosphere on the aeroplane as the aeroplane gains height.

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3a3 marks

Figure 1 shows a skier of weight 750 N.

The total area of the skis in contact with the snow is 0.4 m2.

Figure 1

5-5-e-3a-skier

Calculate the total pressure exerted by the skier on the snow.

3b2 marks

The skier has been told that using narrower skis will make them go faster.

They switch to skis which each have a surface area of 0.15 m2.

State and explain how this will affect the pressure which the skier exerts on the snow.

3c2 marks

Higher Only

A swimmer dives to the bottom of a swimming pool which is 2 m deep. Calculate the pressure on the swimmer. The density of the water in the pool is 1000 kg/m3

 
 
pressure = ..................................... Pa
3d4 marks

Complete the following sentences about atmospheric pressure. 

Choose answers from the box. 

Each answer can be used once, more than once or not at all.

increases height decreases
less more colliding

      

Atmospheric pressure varies with ................... above a surface.

This is due to air molecules .................. with a surface creating atmospheric pressure.

The number of air molecules (and so the weight of air) above a surface ................... as the height of the surface above ground level increases.

Therefore, as height increases, there is always ................... air above a surface than there is at a lower height.

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1a2 marks

A student takes a plastic bottle and makes a small hole near the bottom of the bottle.

She then fills the bottle with water and places the bottle above a sink, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2

fig-2-5-5-medium-aqa-gcse-physics

The student observes that as the volume of water in the bottle decreases, the jet of water leaving the hole travels a shorter distance before hitting the bottom on the sink.

Explain the above observation.

1b5 marks

The student carries out some measurements, recording the depth of the water (measured from the bottom of the bottle) and the distance travelled by the water jet.

Her results are given in Table 1 below.

Table 1

Depth of water in cm Distance travelled in cm
4.0 3.0
8.0 11.2
12.0 15.6
16.0 18.2
20.0 20.2

Plot a graph of the distance travelled (on the y-axis) against the depth of the water (on the x-axis).

Your graph should include a curve of best fit.

1c1 mark

The student notices that when the water level reaches the height of the hole, the distance travelled by the jet becomes zero.

Use your graph to estimate the height of the hole above the bottom of the bottle.

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2a1 mark

The Dead Sea contains some of the most saline (salty) water on Earth, with a density (on the surface) of around 1250 kg/m3.

State the relationship between the pressure of a liquid, gravitational field strength, density of the liquid and depth.

2b2 marks

Calculate the pressure exerted by the water at a depth of 20m.

The gravitational field strength is 10 N/kg.

Show your working and include a unit with your answer.

2c2 marks

A pressure gauge sinks to the bottom of the Dead Sea.

On the bottom it gives a reading of 5 000 000 Pa.

Use the above reading to estimate the depth of the Dead Sea.

Show your working and include a unit with your answer.

2d1 mark

In actual fact, the actual depth of the Dead Sea is less than the figure calculated from the above pressure.

What does this imply about the average density of the water compared to the figure given at the start of this question?

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3a3 marks

Table 2 below gives some data showing how atmospheric pressure varies with altitude above sea level.

Table 2

Altitude in km Pressure in kPa
0.0 100
4.0 62
8.0 36
12.0 20
16.0 12
20.0 6

Explain why atmospheric pressure decreases when the altitude increases.

3b5 marks

Plot a graph of atmospheric pressure (y-axis) again altitude (x-axis).

Include an appropriate line of best fit.

q3b-medium-aqa-gcse-physics

3c1 mark

Commercial aircraft typically fly at altitudes of around 10 km.

Use your graph to estimate the atmospheric pressure at this height.

Atmospheric pressure  =  _____________ kPa

3d3 marks

The pressure inside an aircraft is usually kept at around 80 kPa.

The doors to the aircraft have an area of around 2.0 m2.

Calculate the resultant force acting on the door at an altitude of 10 km.

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4a2 marks

Figure 3 shows two of the forces acting on a submerged balloon, which is travelling upwards through water at a constant velocity.

Figure 3

baloon

One of the forces acting on the balloon is missing from the diagram.

Add a further labelled arrow to the diagram to show the relative size and direction of this force.

4b1 mark

Explain, in terms of pressure, why the water exerts upthrust on the balloon.

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1a2 marks

Figure 1 shows two containers that store rainwater.

The containers have taps that are joined by a pipe. 

The taps are closed. 

 Figure 1

5-5-h-1a-water-barrels

Figure 2 shows the water levels inside the containers.

 Figure 2

5-5-h-2a-water-barrel-sketch

The density of water is 1000 kg / m3.

 Calculate the pressure that the water causes at the base of container T.

 
  
pressure = ..................................... Pa
1b1 mark

Higher Only

When the taps are opened, water flows in the pipe for some time. Figure 3 shows the final water level in container T.

Figure 3
 
5-5-h-1b-connected-water-barrels
 

Complete the diagram to show the final water level in container U.

1c3 marks

Higher Only

Explain why the water starts to flow and then stops.

1d3 marks

Higher Only

Figure 4 shows a piece of equipment to demonstrate pressure in fluids.

The container is made of glass and each section has a different shape.

Water is poured into the container until it reaches the level shown in the left-hand section.

Figure 4

5-5-h-1d-pressure-in-different-shaped-vessels

Complete the diagram by drawing the water levels in the other four sections. Explain why the water fills the container in this way.

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2a1 mark

Figure 1 shows a cylindrical container which has a base of diameter of 0.15 m and is filled with water to a depth of 0.35 m.

Figure 1

5-5-h-2a-water-filled-cylinder

The mass of the water is 6.2 kg.

Calculate the weight of the water in the container.

2b4 marks

Calculate the pressure due to the liquid on the base of the container. State the unit.

2c2 marks

The water-filled cylinder is placed on a laboratory bench.

Suggest why the total pressure on the bench is higher than the value calculated in part (b).

2d5 marks

Higher Only

A bead of hollow glass is dropped into the water and comes to rest floating 12 cm above the base of the cylinder as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2
5-5-h-2d-pressure-on-a-bead-in-a-cylinder
  

Calculate the total pressure on the bead.

  

Atmospheric pressure at sea level = 1.01 × 105 Pa

Density of water = 1000 kg/m3

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3a1 mark

Higher Only

Figure 1 shows a hollow metal cylinder containing air, floating in the sea. The density of the metal used to make the cylinder is greater than the density of seawater.

Figure 1

5-5-h-3a-floating-hollow-cylinder

Explain why the cylinder floats.

3b4 marks

The cylinder has a length of 1.8 m. It floats with 1.2 m submerged in the sea. The bottom of the cylinder has a cross-sectional area of cross-section of 0.80 m2.

 
The density of seawater is 1020 kg/m3. Calculate the force exerted on the bottom of the cylinder due to the depth of the seawater.  

 

force = ....................................................... N

3c2 marks

Deduce the weight of the cylinder. Explain your answer.

3d4 marks

Pressure difference in water can be demonstrated using the apparatus shown in Figure 2. The apparatus is hollow and has three short tubes at different depths. When the tube is completely filled with water, water comes out of all the tubes. 

Figure 2

5-5-h-3d-pressure-in-liquid-can
 

Complete Figure 2 by drawing the paths of water you would expect to see from the other two tubes. Explain why you have drawn this pattern.

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