Pressure (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Physics)

Exam Questions

2 hours30 questions
1a2 marks

A student is studying elephants. Fig. 2.1 shows an elephant.

18-32-1b

The student measures the elephant and records the values, as shown in the table.

  Complete the table by adding a suitable unit for each measurement. Choose the units from those shown in the box.

 

m2

kg

cm

mm2

g

m

cm2

mg

mm

 

measurements

value

unit

mass of elephant

4000

 

height of elephant

3.0

 

surface area of elephant foot

0.125

 

1b7 marks

Using information from the table in (a):

 

(i) Calculate the weight of the elephant.

   

weight = ..................................................... N [3]

   

(ii) Calculate the pressure the elephant exerts on the ground when it is standing on four feet. Include a unit.  

   

   

pressure = ......................................................... [4]

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2a2 marks

Complete the sentence defining pressure in solids.

Pressure is defined as the ________ per unit ________.

2b2 marks

Complete the word equation defining pressure in solids.

Pressure in a solid is the _______ ÷ _______.

2c1 mark

The table shows some everyday examples of objects which exert a pressure. 

For each one identify whether the object would exert high pressure or low pressure.

    

 

 

High or Low Pressure?

 

High heeled shoe

 

 

Snowshoes

 

 

Kitchen knife

 

 

Point of a nail

 

 

Skis

 

2d3 marks

A student of weight 550 N is wearing shoes so that his two feet have a total area of 0.020 m2.

Calculate the pressure exerted by the student on the ground when standing on both feet.

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3a2 marks

Describe how the pressure beneath the surface of a liquid changes

(i) With depth.

[1]

(ii) With density of the liquid.

[1]

3b2 marks

Extended tier only

Complete the word equation defining pressure in liquids.

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

3c1 mark

Fig. 1 shows two pairs of objects in a column of liquid. 

1-9-3c-e-pressure-in-liquid-choices

 

For each pair identify the object which experiences the highest pressure and explain your reason.

3d3 marks

Extended tier 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.

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4a1 mark

The weight of a car is 20 000 N. For each tyre, the area in contact with the road is 0.1 m2.

1-9-4a-e-saloon-car

For the car shown in Fig. 1, calculate the total area of the car tyres which are in contact with the road surface.

4b3 marks

Calculate the total pressure exerted by the car on the road.

4c1 mark

The family who own the car are going on holiday. They add a roof-rack filled with heavy camping equipment.

 State how this will affect the pressure which the car exerts on the road.

4d1 mark

Explain your answer to part (c).

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5a1 mark

The weight of the skier shown in Fig.1 is 750 N. For each ski, the area in contact with the snow is 0.2 m2.

1-9-5a-e-skis-2

Calculate the total area of the skis which is in contact with the snow.

5b3 marks

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

5c1 mark

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

She switches to skis which each have a surface area of 0.15 m2.

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

5d1 mark

Explain your answer to part (c).

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1a5 marks

Fig.5.1 shows a glass bottle containing air. The bottle is sealed with a cap.

feb-march-2018-32-q5a

The air in the bottle becomes warmer.

 

(i) State what happens to the pressure of the air in the bottle.

[1]

(ii) Explain why the pressure of the air in the bottle changes. Use your ideas about gas molecules.

[4]

1b3 marks

The bottle has a weight of 5.4 N and an area of 9.2 cm2 in contact with the table.

 Calculate the pressure produced by the bottle on the table. Give the unit.

 

pressure = ......................................................... 

1c2 marks

Fig. 5.2 shows another bottle. The bottle is on a table. Part of the base of this bottle is not in contact with the table.

feb-march-2018-32-q5c1

(i) The base of the bottle is circular. The radius of the outer circle is 4.0 cm as shown in Fig. 5.3. Calculate the area of this circle.

 

feb-march-2018-32-q5c2

 

area = .................................................. cm2 [1]

 

(ii) The bottle shown in Fig. 5.2 has the same mass as the bottle shown in Fig. 5.1.

Explain why the bottle shown in Fig. 5.2 exerts more pressure on the table than the bottle shown in Fig. 5.1.

[1]

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2a3 marks

Fig. 4.1 shows a pin. Fig. 4.2 shows a person pushing the pin into a wall.

pin

The area of the top surface of the pin is 1.8 cm2.

The person applies a force of 50 N.

Calculate the pressure exerted on the top surface of the pin.      

 

pressure = ............................................. N / cm2 

2b1 mark

The area of the top surface of the pin is 500 times larger than the area of the point.

Calculate the value of the pressure exerted by the point on the wall.      

 pressure = ............................................. N / cm2 

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3a4 marks

Fig 2.1 shows liquid in a cylinder.

q2a

Table 2.1 gives some data about the cylinder and the liquid.

q2a2

The cylinder containing liquid is placed on a digital balance that displays the mass in kg.

  Calculate the reading shown on the balance.

 

reading ......................................................kg 

3b4 marks

Extended tier only

Fig. 2.2 shows a device called a manometer that measures the pressure of a gas.

q2b

 

(i) The pressure of the gas is 400 Pa greater than atmospheric pressure.

Calculate the density of the liquid.

 

density = ...........................................................[2]

 

(ii) With the gas supply connected, the top of the tube on the left of the device is sealed securely with a rubber stopper. The gas pressure is then increased.

State and explain what happens to the liquid in the manometer.

[2]

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4a4 marks

Extended tier only

On a particular day, the atmospheric pressure is 1.0 × 105 Pa. A bubble of gas forms at a point 5.0 m below the surface of a lake. The density of water is 1000 kg/m3.

Determine

(i) the total pressure at a depth of 5.0 m in the water,

 

 

pressure = ...........................................................[3]

(ii) the pressure of the gas in the bubble.

 

pressure = ...........................................................[1]

4b3 marks

Extended tier only

As the bubble rises to the surface, the mass of gas in the bubble stays constant. The temperature of the water in the lake is the same throughout.

Explain why the bubble rises to the surface and why its volume increases as it rises.

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5a3 marks

Fig. 3.1 shows an archer pulling the string of a bow.

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The archer uses a force of 120 N. The force acts on an area of 0.5 cm2 on the archer’s fingers.

Calculate the pressure on the archer’s fingers.

 

pressure on fingers = ............................................ N/cm

5b1 mark

The archer’s other hand is pushing the bow with the same force of 120 N. This force acts on a larger area than the force in (a).

State whether the pressure on this hand is greater than, the same as or less than the pressure on the fingers holding the string.

5c1 mark

State the energy store of the bow that energy is transferred into when the archer bends it as shown in Fig. 3.1.

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1a3 marks

Fig. 4.1 shows liquid in a cylinder.

18p4-3a

The depth of the liquid is 10 cm and the radius of the cylinder is 3.0 cm. The weight of the liquid in the cylinder is 2.5 N.

  Calculate the density of the liquid. You can assume that acceleration of free fall is 10 m/s2.

 

density = ...........................................................

1b4 marks

Extended tier only

Fig. 4.2 shows a device called a manometer that measures the pressure of a gas supply.

18p4-3b

 

(i) The difference h between the two liquid levels is 2.0 cm. The density of the liquid is 800 kg/m3.

Calculate the difference between the pressure of the gas and atmospheric pressure.

 

pressure difference = ...........................................................[2]

  

(ii) A similar device with a tube of smaller cross-sectional area is connected to a gas supply at the same pressure.

State and explain any effect on the value of h.

[2]

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2a3 marks

A rectangular container has a base of dimensions 0.12 m × 0.16 m. The container is filled with a liquid. The mass of the liquid in the container is 4.8 kg.

Calculate

 

(i) the weight of liquid in the container

 

weight = ...........................................................[1]

(ii) the pressure due to the liquid on the base of the container

 

pressure = ...........................................................[2]

2b1 mark

Explain why the total pressure on the base of the container is greater than the value calculated in (a)(ii).

2c2 marks

Extended tier only

The depth of liquid in the container is 0.32 m.

Calculate the density of the liquid.

 

density = ...........................................................

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3a3 marks

A scientist fills a container with seawater. The container has dimensions 30 cm × 30 cm × 40 cm. The density of seawater is 1020 kg/m3.

Calculate the mass of the seawater in the container.

mass = .........................................................

3b5 marks

Extended tier only

Fig. 2.1 shows a submarine. The submarine is fully submerged in the sea.

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(i) The atmospheric pressure is 100 kPa and the total pressure on the top surface of the submarine is 500 kPa.

Calculate the depth of the top surface of the submarine below the surface of the sea.

 

depth = ......................................................... [3]

 

(ii) A hatch (an opening door) on the top surface of the submarine has an area of 0.62 m2.

Calculate the downward force on the hatch due to the total pressure on the top surface of the submarine.

 

force = ......................................................... [2]

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4a1 mark

Fig. 2.1 shows a hollow metal cylinder containing air, floating in the sea.

z_RnsT5C_q2

The density of the metal used to make the cylinder is greater than the density of seawater.

Explain why the cylinder floats.

4b4 marks

Extended tier only

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 an 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 = ...........................................................

4c2 marks

Deduce the weight of the cylinder. Explain your answer.

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5a1 mark

A cylindrical container has a base with diameter of 0.15 m and is filled with water to a depth of 0.35 m as shown in Fig. 1.1.

1-9-5a-h-18p4-3a

The mass of the water is 6.2 kg.

Calculate the weight of the water in the container.

5b3 marks

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

5c2 marks

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

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

5d5 marks

Extended tier 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 Fig. 1.2.

1-9-q5d-h-pressure-in-liquid-cylinder

Fig. 1.2

 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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