Class: 8th Physics

Force and Pressure

FORCE: - Any push or pull applied on an object is called force. Force is a vector quantity i.e. it has
magnitude as well as direction. It is measured in Newtons. Force can be balanced or unbalanced. It is the
unbalanced force which makes the objects move.
Three cases arise when two or more forces act on an object:
1. If two or more forces act on an object in the same direction, they add up.
2. It two or more unequal forces act on an object in opposite direction, they get subtracted.
3. If equal and opposite forces act on an object, they cancel each other and the net (total) force acting on the
object is zero.
Scalar Quantity: - A physical quantity which has magnitude but no direction is called scalar quantity.
E.g. mass, distance, speed etc.
Vector Quantity: -A physical quantity which has magnitude and direction is called vector quantity.
E.g. displacement, weight force etc.

EEFECTS OF FORCE:-
The various effects of force are:-
 Force can stop moving objects.
 Force can change the state of motion of an object.
 Force can change the speed of an object.
 Force can change the direction of an object. If the force is in same direction as that of the object, speed
of object increases. If the force is in opposite direction, speed of object decreases.
 Force can change the shape and size of an object.

TYPES OF FORCES:-
There are two types of forces:
 Contact Force.
 Non-Contact Force.

 CONTACT FORCES: -The forces which need a physical contact between the source of the force and the
object are called contact forces. Frictional Force & Muscular Force are examples.
 FRICTIONAL FORCE: - It is a type of contact force which comes into play when there is a relative
motion between two objects. The two objects are in physical contact with each other.e.g. a ball rolling
on ground stops due to frictional force between the ball and the ground.
 MUSCULAR FORCE: - The force exerted by the muscles of our body is called muscular force. It
is a type of contact force i.e. a physical contact is necessary between us and the object. E.g. lifting a
book from a table or kicking a football etc.
 NON CONTACT FORCES: - The forces which do not need a physical contact between
the source of the force and the object are called non-contact forces. Gravitational /Magnetic /Electrostatic
forces are examples. The contact forces are also known as Action at a distance forces.

 ELECTROSTATIC FORCE: - It is a type of non-contact force which exists between charges at rest.
Charges are of two types viz, positive charges and negative charges. Like charges repel each other while
unlike charges attract each other. E.g. A comb rubbed with dry hair can attract small pieces of paper without
having a physical contact with the bits of paper.

 MAGNETIC FORCE: - It is a type of non-contact force which acts between magnets and magnetic
material. This force acts at a distance and can be attractive as well as repulsive. All magnets have two poles,
North Pole and South Pole. Like poles repel each other while unlike poles attract each other.

 GRAVITATIONAL FORCE: - It is a universal force which is always attractive in nature. It is a non-

contact force due to which Earth attracts other objects towards itself. It is responsible for rainfall, snowfall,
formation of solar system, etc.
PRESSURE: -
The force acting per unit area is called pressure. It is a scalar quantity and has wide applications in our daily
life.
P = FORCE/AREA
Pressure depends on two quantities, Force and Area. Pressure is directly proportional to force i.e. more the
force more will be the pressure. Pressure is inversely proportional to area i.e. more area less pressure and
vice versa.
Pressure is measured in Pascals.
1 Pascal =1 newton/1 meter 2
1 Pascal is defined as the pressure acting on a body when 1 Newton of force acts on 1 m 2 of the area of the
body. Besides bar, millbar, and torr are other units of measuring pressure.
1 bar = 105Pascal
1 millibar = 102 Pascal
1 torr = 133 Pascal

APPLICATIONS OF PRESSURE:-
a) Straps of bags are made wider to minimize pressure on our shoulders. Since, pressure = force / area,
pressure is inversely proportional to area, so making the straps wider reduces pressure.
b) The tyres of tractor are made broad so as to reduce pressure exerted by tyres on the soil.
c) The tip of the needle of a sewing machine is pointed so as to reduce the area of contact between the
needle and the cloth and hence increase pressure.
d) It is easier to walk on sand with flat shoes than wearing heels because the area of contact in the first case
is more thereby creating less pressure.
e) It is easier to cut things using sharp knife than a blunt one because area of contact for a sharp knife is
smaller due to which pressure is more.

LIQUID PRESSURE: - Liquids exert pressure and there are certain properties of liquid pressure.
a) Liquid pressure increases with the increase in depth. This property is applicable in the construction of
dams where the base of the dam is made broader to resist high pressure.
b) Liquids exert equal pressure in all directions. Liquid pressure at two points within same vessel at same
depth is same.
c) Liquids transmit pressure.

PRESSURE EXERTED BY GASES:-

All gases like hydrogen, helium, etc. exert pressure. Air is a mixture of gases and hence it also exerts pressure.
Pressure due to a gas is because of the collisions occurring between the gas molecules and the walls of the
container. E.g. when we blow air in a balloon, it inflates due to pressure exerted by the air molecules on the
walls of balloon. Similarly, air pressure is responsible for the inflation of the vehicles.

ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE:-
The pressure exerted by the atmosphere of the earth is called atmospheric pressure. The atmosphere extends
up to 300 km and includes various layers like stratosphere, troposphere, etc. The upper layers of the
atmosphere exert pressure on the layers below them. The atmospheric pressure is maximum at sea level. Its
value is 101325 Pascals or 760 mm of hg. The earth’s gravitation pulls the atmospheric layers towards itself
due to which the lower atmospheric layers are denser than the upper ones. The upper layers
of the atmosphere exert lesser atmospheric pressure than the lower ones. Our body does not feel atmospheric
pressure because it is exactly counter balanced by the blood pressure of our body.

APPLICATIONS OF ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE:-

1. Drinking water through straw: - We are able to drink water due to atmospheric pressure. When we
suck through the straw, pressure in the straw decreases but the pressure over the liquid is high and is
equal to atmospheric pressure. Due to this difference in pressure, water is forced into the straw.
2. Rubber dropper: - It also works due to atmospheric pressure. When we press the dropper, air inside the
dropper comes out in the form of bubbles in liquid. Due to atmospheric pressure, liquid is forced into
dropper.
3. Syringe: - Liquid is filled in the syringe with the help of atmospheric pressure. When the syringe is
pumped, air is forced out of it. Due to more air pressure on the liquid surface, liquid is sucked in. Fountain
pens are refilled in the same way.

4. Rubber sucker: - It is a device which gets stuck to wall firmly. It is a hemispherical device, which when
stuck with the wall has a vacuum (partial vacuum) created within it. Since atmospheric pressure outside
is high it pushes it with great force. Due to this force, rubber sucker remains attached to the walls. It can
be used as hanger in shops or homes.
Textual Questions
Q1. The two examples in which we push or pull to change the state of motion are:-
1. We can stop a moving ball by placing our hand in its path.
2. We can set a tyre in motion or increase its speed by pushing it in the direction of motion.

Q2. The two examples in which applied force causes a change in the shape of an object are:-
1. By pressing a lump of dough on a plate.
2. By hanging a rubber band suspended from a hook fixed on a wall.

Q3. a) Apply force (pull)

b) Attract
c) Push
d) Repel

Q4. a) Shape (b) Muscular (c) Contact (d) Gravity and friction

Q5.
Agent exerting force Object on which Effect of force
force is exerted

a) Force is exerted by our fingers On lemon The shape of lemon changes

b) Fingers On toothpaste The shape again changes

c) Suspended load Spring The spring gets deformed
d) The athlete On the ground The muscle gets stretched and
compressed

Q6. A blacksmith hammers a hot piece of iron while making a tool in order to shape up the piece of iron.
Here the muscular force exerted by the blacksmith changes the shape of the piece of iron and he can
make tools of it.

Q7. When we rub a balloon with a piece of cloth, both the balloon and the cloth gets charged, so the
balloon gets sticked to the wall due to the charge on the balloon, hence it is an example of electrostatic
force.

Q8. Gravitational force and muscular force are the two forces which act on the bucket. These forces don’t
change the state of the bucket because they are in balanced condition, hence the forces don’t change
the state of the bucket because they are in balanced condition, hence the buckets don’t move.

Q9. The two forces acting on the rocket are gravitational force and friction due to air.

Q10. Atmospheric pressure