11 mark
A woman is in contact with the floor.
In which of these poses does she produce the most pressure on the floor?
Assume she is wearing flat shoes in each pose.
A
B
C
D
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Pressure (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Physics)
Exam Questions
2 hours30 questions
21 mark
Which is an example of a force acting over a small area to produce a large pressure?
A skier wearing large skis on snow.
A hammer being used to push a nail into a piece of wood.
A tractor having very wide tyres.
A person lying down, rather than walking upright on a roof.
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31 mark
A water-filled tank is resting on a table as shown in Fig. 1
Using the measurements in the diagram, determine the area which should be used to calculate the pressure the tank exerts on the table.
0.25 m2
0.5 m2
0.75 m2
1.0 m2
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41 mark
The diagram shows four measuring identical cylinders containing either distilled water or concentrated sugar solution.
Which measuring cylinder has the least pressure at the base, due to the liquid?
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51 mark
Extended tier only
For the tank of water in the diagram below, which value gives the pressure on the base of the tank due to the water?
The density of water = 1000 kg/m3
5000 Pa
5500 Pa
5880 Pa
6570 Pa
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11 mark
A briefcase, with flat, rectangular sides rests on the floor as shown in the diagram.
The briefcase is now turned so that it rests with its large, flat side on the floor.
How has the change affected the force on the floor, and the pressure exerted by the briefcase on the floor?
| Force | Pressure |
A | unchanged | decreased |
B | unchanged | unchanged |
C | decreased | decreased |
D | decreased | unchanged |
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21 mark
A small metal block is suspended under the surface of a beaker of water by a string.
The metal block experiences a pressure exerted by the liquid.
What would increase the pressure exerted on the metal block?
increasing the surface area of the stone
using a liquid with a lower density
increasing the mass of the metal block
lowering the metal block deeper into the liquid
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31 mark
A wooden block rests on a table.
On which surface should the block be laid to produce the largest pressure on the table?
A
B
C
Any side, they will all produce the same pressure
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41 mark
Extended tier only
For the tank of water in the diagram below, which value gives the pressure on the base of the tank due to the water?
The density of water = 1000 kg/m3
6500 Pa
6900 Pa
7400 Pa
7900 Pa
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51 mark
What pressure does the object in the diagram below exert on the ground beneath it?
4.0 Pa
6.0 Pa
12 Pa
24 Pa
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11 mark
The table gives four combinations of the force applied to a surface and the area over which it acts.
Which row gives the smallest pressure exerted on the surface?
| Force / N | Area / m2 |
A | 40 | 0.5 |
B | 40 | 2.0 |
C | 80 | 0.5 |
D | 80 | 2.0 |
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21 mark
Three beakers of water are placed on a table. The depth of water in each container is the same.
In which container does the water exert the greatest pressure on the base of the container?
A
B
C
None, the pressure is the same in all three.
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31 mark
A person walking through snow sinks into it.
The person makes a change so that they do not sink as far next time they go out.
What do they do?
Crouch as they walk to lower their centre of mass
Run as fast as they can to increase the power they dissipate
Wear shoes with a much larger area on the bottom to increase the area of their feet in contact with the snow
Wear a heavy backpack to increase their weight and so make them more stable .
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41 mark
There is a significant risk to submarines which dive to very great depths.
Why is it dangerous to do this?
The temperature of water is too low at greater depths.
The density of water is less at greater depths
The pressure is too great at greater depths.
The gravitational pull increases at greater depths
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51 mark
The ornament in Fig. 1 is designed to balance in either of the positions shown.
Calculate the difference in the pressure on the ground when the ornament's position is changed.
1000 Pa
1250 Pa
1500 Pa
2000 Pa
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