Force and pressure

Class 8th
Scalar and Vector quantities
Scalar quantities: A scalar quantity is the measure of a quantity which is one-dimensional,
i.e., only its magnitude; for example, temperature, work, mass, and so on.

Vector quantities: A vector quantity is the measure of a quantity which is two-dimensional,

i.e., both its magnitude and direction; for example, displacement, velocity, acceleration, and
so on.

Velocity
The rate of change of displacement is velocity. When an object is moving in a specific
direction with respect to time, it is said to be velocity, i.e., the quantity that specifies both
distance and time is called velocity. The velocity of an object can be changed by changing
the speed, direction, or both of that object. In other words, it is defined as the displacement
produced per unit time.

➢ Velocity = Displacement / Time

➢ V= x / t
➢ Where x is the distance travelled in a given direction, i.e., displacement. It is
calculated as the difference between the positions.
➢ x= Final point – Initial point = v – u.
➢ t = time taken to travel the distance
➢ V=d/t

Acceleration

acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity. If the velocity of a body is changed
from “u” to “v” in time “t”, then acceleration is given as follows.

➢ Acceleration = Change in velocity / Time taken

➢ Acceleration=final velocity – initial velocity/ time
➢ A = d(u–v)/dt
➢ As it has both magnitude and direction, it is a vector quantity. SI unit of acceleration
is m/s2 or ms–2.
Force is defined as any influence that can change the position, speed, or state of an object.
It can also be described as a push or pull that acts on an object. Force is a vector quantity,
meaning it has both magnitude and direction.

Common symbols. F

SI unit =Newton (N)

In SI base units=Kg·m·s−2

Derivations from Other quantities. F = ma

Different Types Of Forces

Force is a physical cause that can change the state of motion of any object or the dimensions.
Different types of Forces are listed below-

Contact forces
The contact forces are the forces which occurs when we apply some effort on an object.
Following is the classification of contact force:

Spring Force

Applied Force

Air Resistance Force

Normal Force

Tension Force

Frictional Force

Non-Contact forces

The non-contact forces are the forces which occurs from a distance. Following is the
classification of non-contact forces:
 Electromagnetic Force

Gravitational Force

Nuclear Force

Spring Force

This force works opposite to the displacement of molecules. Like in a spring or elastic rubber
band etc.

Applied Force

The force which is applied by our muscles is called applied force is also called muscular force.
For example, pushing a box or kicking a ball etc.

Air Resistance Force

The force exerted by a gas acting upon a body on the opposite direction is called air resistance
force. The examples are the forces experienced by a skydiver or a downhill skier etc.

Normal Force

It is referred to the force which acts when two surfaces are in contact. This force is perpendicular
to the surface and acts in the direction out of the surface. For example, a box on top of a table.

Tension Force

This type of force is experienced by a rope or a string which holds an object. The tension force is
always a pull not a push. The tension force is same throughout the cable. For example, a ball
hanging with the help of a string.
Frictional Force

Frictional force acts when the objects on a surface is trying to move relative to surface. For
example, when a box is slid on a table.

Electromagnetic Force
These are the magnetic and electric interactions between atoms and molecules which helps in
binding and defining the structure of solids. For example, in a magnet, poles attract each other.

Gravitational Force
The gravitational force is defined as the force acting between objects due to presence of matter.
For example, Gravitational force is given as:

F=Gm1m2/R²
Where G=gravitational constant, m is mass of bodies R is distance between bodies

Nuclear Force

The force responsible for the bonding of nucleus is known as nuclear force. For example, forces
resulting in radioactive decay.

Balanced Force

When two forces are in opposite direction and possess equal magnitude then these forces
called are a forces together acting on an object when it’s not in a motion is said to be in
equilibrium.

Unbalanced Force

The unbalanced force can be defined as when two forces acting on a body are of unequal size

Pressure
In physics, pressure is the force that is exerted on an object perpendicularly to a surface. It is the
ratio of the force applied to the area over which it acts. The formula for pressure is P = F/A,
where P is pressure, F is force, and A is area.

Pressure and area

Pressure is inversely proportional to the area of contact. This means that the smaller the
area of contact, the greater the pressure.

Pressure and force

Pressure is directly proportional to force. This means that if the area is constant, the
pressure increases as the force applied increases.

Pressure and units

The SI unit for pressure is Pascal (Pa) or N/m2.

Pressure and examples

Some examples of pressure include thrust and a camel walking on sand. A camel's flat,
broad feet increase the area of contact with the sand, which allows it to walk easily .

Fluid Pressure
Pfluid = P + ρgh

Where,

P = Pressure at the reference point

Pfluid = Pressure at a point in a fluid

Ρ = Density of the fluid

G = Acceleration due to gravity (considering earth g = 9.8 m/s)

H = Height from the reference point

The density of a fluid may be estimated by dividing its mass by the volume of fluid taken
into account.

Ρ = m/V

Where,

M = Mass of the fluid

V = Volume of fluid considered

If the fluid is subject to atmospheric pressure, then the total pressure on the system is
given by

PFluid = Po + ρgh

Where,

Po = Atmospheric pressure

Factors that affect Fluid Pressure

Fluid pressure is influenced by two things. These two elements are the fluid’s depth and
density.

• The fluid’s depth: The pressure that the fluid exerts grows as the depth does as
well.
• The fluid’s density: In comparison to lighter fluids like air, denser fluids like water
impose higher pressure.
Atmospheric Pressure

The earth’s atmospheric air is surrounded by a layer of gases and so this air surrounding the
earth exerts a pressure known as the ‘atmospheric pressure’. Its value at sea level
is 101325 Pa.

It is measured using a mercury barometer (hence atmospheric pressure is also known

as barometric pressure), indicating the height of a column of mercury which exactly
balances the weight of the column of atmosphere over the barometer. It can be expressed
in several different systems of units such as millimeters (or inches) of mercury, pounds per
square inch (psi), dynes per square centimetre, millibars (mb), standard atmospheres, or
kilopascals.

The atmospheric pressure decreases near Earth’s surface, with height at a rate of about 3.5
millibars for every 30 meters (100 feet).

Question 1.
Give two examples each of the situations in which you push or pull to change the state
of motion of objects.
Answer:
(i) Push: We close drawer by pushing.
We move a wooden box by pushing.
(ii) Pull: We draw water from a well by pulling the rope.
A horse pulls a cart.

Question 2.
Give two examples of situations in which applied force causes a change in the shape of
an object.
Answer:
When we apply force on a rubber band to stretch it and on clay to change its shape.

Question 3.

Fill in the blanks in the following statements.

(a) To draw water from a well we have to ______ at the rope.

(b) A charged body ______ an uncharged body towards it.

C. To move a loaded trolley we have to ______ it.

(d) The north pole of a magnet _______ the north pole of another magnet.

Answer:

(a) pull

(b) attracts

c. push

(d) repels

Question 4.

An archer stretches her bow while taking aim at the target. She then releases the arrow,
which begins to move towards the target. Based on this information fill up the gaps in the
following statements using the following terms:

Muscular, contact, non-contact, gravity, friction, shape, attraction

(a) To stretch the bow, the archer applies a force that causes a change in its ______

(b) The force applied by the archer to stretch the bow is an example of ______ force.

c. The type of force responsible for a change in the state of motion of the arrow is an
example of a ______ force.

(d) While the arrow moves towards its target, the forces acting on it are due to _______ and
that due to _____ of air.

Answer:

(a) shape

(b) muscular

(d) gravity, friction

Question 5.

In the following situations identify the agent exerting the force and the object on which it
acts. State the effect of the force in each case.

(a) Squeezing a piece of lemon between the fingers to extract its juice.

(b) Taking out paste from a toothpaste tube.

c. A load suspended from a spring while its other end is on a hook fixed to a wall.

(d) An athlete making a high jump to clear the bar at a certain height.

Answer:

(a) Agents are fingers, object is lemon, effect of force changes the shape of lemon.

(b) Agents are fingers of the person squeezing the tube, object is toothpaste tube and effect
of the force can be observed as the paste coming out of the tube (change in shape).

c. Agent is the load suspended, object is the spring and effort can be seen in the form of
elongation of spring on suspension of load (change in shape).

(d) Agent is muscles of athlete, object is athlete himself and effect of the force changes the
state of motion of the athlete.

Question 6.

A blacksmith hammers a hot piece of iron while making a tool. How does the force due to
hammering affect the piece of iron?

Answer:

The force due to hammering causes the change in the shape of the iron and iron can be
moulded in the shape of the required tool.

Question 7.

An inflated balloon was pressed against a wall after it has been rubbed with a piece of
synthetic cloth. It was found that the balloon sticks to the wall. What force might be
responsible for the attraction between the balloon and the wall?

Answer:

Electrostatic force.

Question 8.

Name the forces acting on a plastic bucket containing water held above ground level in
your hand. Discuss why the forces acting on the bucket do not bring a change in its state of
motion.

Answer:

Forces acting on bucket are as follows:

Muscular force of arms acting upward.

Force of gravity acting downward.

Both the forces do not bring any change in the state of motion because both of them are
acting in equal and opposite directions and thus they cancel each other’s effect.

Question 9.

A rocket has been fired upwards to launch a satellite in its orbit. Name the two forces
acting on the rocket immediately after leaving the launching pad.

Answer:

The forces that act when a rocket leaves launching pad are as follows:

Gravitational force of the earth (downward)

Frictional force of air (in opposite direction)

Question 10.

When we press the bulb of a dropper with its nozzle kept in water, air in the dropper is seen
to escape in the form of bubbles. Once we release the pressure on the bulb, water gets
filled in the dropper. The rise of water in the dropper is due to

(a) pressure of water

(b) gravity of the earth

C. shape of rubber bulb

(d) atmospheric pressure

Answer:

(d) atmospheric pressure