Force and Pressure Force and Pressure

Force and Pressure

Category : 6th & 8th Class
Learning Objectives

1. Introduction
2. Force
3. Effects of force
4. Types of force
5. Thrust and Pressure
6. Pressure in fluids
7. Factors affecting pressure in fluids
8. Atmospheric pressure

 INTRODUCTION
It is our common experience that to move a stationary table, we need to push it or pull it. To stop a
moving ball we have to apply some force opposite to its direction of motion. If the object is quite
heavy it may not be set into motion by a force. A heavy object in motion may not be brought to rest on
applying force on it. Thus based on these observations we can now define force.
 
FORCE
Force is defined as an external agent (push or pull) that changes or tends to change the state of rest or
01 uniform motion of a body.
 Do You Know
Acceleration due to gravity on the surface of the earth 
(9.8ms−2)
 is 6 times the acceleration due to gravity on the surface of moon 
 
FORCE
Force is defined as an external agent (push or pull) that changes or tends to change the state of rest or
of uniform motion of a body.
Mathematical definition of force - Whenever force acts on a moving body it changes the speed of the
body. Thus force produces acceleration (Positive or negative). Greater the force, greater is the
acceleration. Also more the mass of the body, more is the force required to produce acceleration in it.
Hence force is directly proportional to the mass and acceleration of the body.
 
Force = mass×acceleration
F= ma
 Thus, mathematically forces defined as the product of mass and acceleration.
When a body falls under the force of gravity. Then, the force exerted on the earth is equal to the
weight of that body i.e. 
W=m×g.
Where, g = acceleration due to gravity
g=9.8 m/sec2
 on the surface of the earth at mean sea level.
 
Units of force
The S.I. unit of force is newton (N)
1 newton force moves a body of mass 1 kg with an acceleration of 
1m/s2.
C.G.S. unit of force is dyne.
1 dyne force moves a body of mass 1 g with an acceleration of 
1cms−2,
 Relationship between newton and dyne
Using F = ma
1N=1kg×1m/s2
=1000g×100cm/s2
=100000gcm/s2
Since 1 dyne = 1
gcm/s2
∴1N=105dynes
 Do You Know
It is possible to have motion in the absence of force and to have force in absence of motion.
 
EFFECTS OF FORCE
Force can bring about the following effects:

1. Sets a body at rest into motion - If we apply force on a stationary car in the forward direction
it can start moving.
2. Stops a moving body - A ball falling downwards can be caught by our hands. Thus it stops on
applying force
 3. Changes the speed of a moving body-A moving bicycle can be made to run faster on
applying force on its paddles. A moving car can be slowed down by applying force using
brakes.
4. Changes the direction of motion of a body - The direction of a moving car can be changed
by applying force on its steering wheel. A football player changes the direction of motion of
the football by kicking it.
5. Changes the dimensions of a body - Length of a spring can be increased or decreased by
stretching or compressing it. Wet clay can be moulded to any shape by applying force with our
hands.
6. Thus in brief we can say that force can change the state of rest or of uniform motion of a body,
can change the speed and direction of a moving body and can change the dimensions of a
body.

 
Do You Know
There are four fundamental forces in nature the gravitational force, the electromagnetic force, the
nuclear force and the weak force. Among these gravitational force is the weakest force.
 
TYPES OF FORCE
Force can be classified as follows:

   
Now, let us discuss these forces one by one.
 
(i) Contact forces - Forces which act only when two bodies are in contact with each other are called
contact forces. Contact forces cannot act from a distance. For e.g., Force of friction acts only when
two surfaces are in contact with each other. Push, pull, tension, force of friction and muscular force are
examples of contact forces.
(a) Force of friction - An opposing force that acts when a body moves or tries to move over the
surface of another body. Force of friction decreases the speed of a moving body.
(b) Muscular force - The force caused by the action of muscles in our body is known as muscular
force. Lifting a load, pulling or pushing an object requires muscular force.
(ii) Non-contact forces -Forces applied by one body on another without being in actual contact are
called non-contact forces. Non-contact forces act from a distance. For e.g. - An apple falls down due to
the force of gravity acting on it from a distance. Force between magnets and magnetic materials
(magnetic force), force between electric charges (electrostatic force) and nuclear force are all non-
contact forces.
(a) Gravitational force - Force of attraction between any two masses is called gravitational force. For
e.g.. All objects on Earth experience force of gravity due to earth. It is always attractive in nuture.      
(b) Magnetic force - The force of attraction or repulsion between the poles of magnets is called
magnetic force. Like poles repel each other and unlike poles attract each other.
(c) Electrostatic force -The force of attraction or repulsion between charged particles at rest is called
electrostatic force. Like charges repel each other and unlike charges attract each other.
 
Do You Know
Tides are caused by the rotation of earth and the gravitational effects of the Moon and Sun.
 
Balanced and unbalanced condition of forces
When two or more forces acting on an object cancel each other's effect, then they are called balanced
forces. If the forces on an object are balanced, then the net force on the object is zero. Thus the
balanced forces do not cause any change in the object's state of rest or of uniform motion.
Example: Two students pushing a table in opposite directions, each applying an equal amount of
force, form a pair of balanced forces. Similarly in a tug of war if two teams pull the rope with equal
force, then the rope stays in same place.
When two or more forces acting on a body do not cancel the effect of each other, they are
called unbalanced forces. Unbalanced forces always cause change in the state of rest or of motion.
Example: A ball hit by a bat, someone moving the furniture etc. are due to unbalanced forces.
 
Do You Know
Birds achieve thrust during flight by flapping their wings.
Camels have broad fest, so that area of contact is high and pressure is less and they are able to walk on
sand without sinking in it.
 
THURST AND PRESSURE
A force which acts normally on a surface is called thrust.
Force acting normally (perpendicular) i.e., thrust per unit area is called pressure.
 
If F is the force acting on area A, then
Pressure=Thrust / Area
P=F/A
 Thus smaller is the area on which the given force acts, the greater is the impact of force i.e. pressure
and vice-versa.
(Remember: Force acting at an angle does not exert pressure on the surface)
 Unit of Pressure
The S.I. unit of pressure is Pascal (Pa). Pascal can be defined using the equation.
P=F/A                            
1Pa=1N/1m2
When a force of IN acts normally on a surface of area 1 m 2, then the pressure acting on the surface is
called 1 Pascal.
 
Example based on pressure - area relation
(1) The bags and suitcases are provided with broad handles so that less pressure is exerted on our
hands or shoulders while carrying them because more the area, less will be the pressure.
(2) Railway lines are laid on large sized wooden or concrete tracks so that the normal force due to
the weight of the train spreads over a greater area thereby reducing the pressure on the ground. This
prevents the yielding of ground.
(3) Dams are made thicker at the bottom in order to withstand the high-pressure of water at the
bottom.
(4) Pins and nails are pointed at one end to have least area of contact with the surface. Due to this
on pressing, the pins exert high pressure on the surface and hence easily penetrate the surface.
 
Do You Know
Water pressure 10,000m below the surface is equivalent to seven elephants standing on a dinner plate
 
PRESSURE IN FLUIDS
All liquids and gases are regarded as fluids as they can flow.
A fluid has weight and hence on account of its weight, it exerts pressure on the walls of the container.
"Moreover, unlike solids a fluid exerts pressure in all directions.
For instance if two holes are drilled in a bottle filled with water, it starts pouring out. This shows that
water exerts pressure on the walls i.e., in all directions of the bottle or container.
 
Factors affecting pressure in fluids
(1) Pressure in fluids is directly proportional to its height or depth in the container. Thus pressure
at various points but same height will be equal.
For e.g. If 3 holes in a bottle of water are drilled at the same level from its base water will come out of
all the three holes with equal pressure.
Also pressure below the liquid surface goes on increasing with depth.
(2) Pressure depends directly on the density
′ ρ ′
of the fluid — A denser fluid exerts greater pressure.
(3) Pressure in a fluid is directly proportional to the acceleration due to gravity 'g'
Thus, pressure 
P=h ρ g
 Applications of pressure in fluids

1. Deep sea divers wear special suits to bear higher pressure at greater depths.
2. The water tank in a house is at the highest possible level so that the water pressure is more on
the tap of the lowest level.
3. Blood pressure in humans is greater at the feet than at the brain because height of the blood
column is more at the feet than at the brain.

 Do You Know

The sudden fall in atmospheric pressure produces the possibility of a storm.
 
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
The thrust due to the air column on a unit surface area of the earth is called atmospheric pressure.
Atmospheric pressure is measured by a barometer. A barometer using a liquidise known as liquid
barometer. If a gas (air) is used, then it is known as aneroid barometer.
 Atmospheric pressure on the sea level is
1.013×105Pa
Atmospheric pressure varies with the variation in height, season, temperature etc.
 Do You Know
The pressure of the air on the outside of your body is balanced by the pressure of fluids inside.
 Applications of atmospheric pressure

1. Fountain pens leak on higher altitudes as the atmospheric pressure is less. Due to this the air
within the tube of the fountain pen exerts pressure and forces the ink out.
2. Sucking drink with the help of a straw is also based on atmospheric pressure. When we suck
the air, the pressure inside the straw falls. The atmospheric pressure acting on the drink forces,
it to rise in the straw.
3. Astronauts wear special suit in space. It is because there is no atmospheric pressure in space.
But the internal pressure of blood is very high. Due to this pressure difference the blood vessels
will burst. So they wear special space suits.

Two holes are made in a sealed oil cane. Through one hole the atmospheric pressure acts which
forces the oil to come out from the other hole.
 

    
What is a Force?
 When a push or pull is applied to an object it is called force.
 A force can change the state of an object from rest to motion or vice versa.
 To let a force come into play, two or more objects must interact with each other.

Figure 1 Examples of Force

Do magnets also exert a push or pull?
We know that a magnet can attract a piece of iron. Hence, we can say that the magnet pulls the iron
piece towards itself due to its magnetic force. Similarly, when opposite poles of a magnet repel each
other we can say that they are pushing each other away.
Characteristics of forces:
 When two forces act in the same direction, the net resultant force on an object is the sum of
these two forces.

Figure 2 Resultant force is the sum of two forces

 When two forces act in opposite directions the net resultant force is the difference of these two
forces. The force has a magnitude which describes its strength.

Figure 3 Forces acting in opposite directions

 The force always has a direction in which it is applied and a measure of its strength or
magnitude.
 The effects of a force may alter when the direction of the magnitude of the force is changed.
 The effect of more than one forces being applied on an object is calculated by evaluating the
net force acting on that object.
 If two forces are acting upon each other having equal magnitudes (strength) and in opposite
directions then the net force acting on the object will be zero.
 Force can bring different effects to an object’s position, size and shape.

Figure 4 Calculating the force acting upon an object

 The SI unit of force is Newton (N).

Force can change the state of motion of an object

The motion of an object
 An object is said to be in motion if it is moving by a certain speed in a particular direction.
 If the object is at rest, it means that it is not changing its position with respect to an observing
point. Hence it has zero speed.
 When the object starts moving it means that its position is being changed with respect to an
observation point.
 In order to move an object from one place to another, a force is required to bring that object in
motion.

 Not only this, a force applied on to an object can change its speed, bring it to rest or even
change the direction of its motion.
 It may bring a combination of these effects as well such as a change in direction of motion and
change in the speed of the motion altogether.
 Hence we can say that force can change the state of motion of an object.
  Any object cannot move by itself or change its state of motion on its own without the
application of a force.
 However, it is not a case that this change of state of motion will take place every time with
every kind of object. For instance, if a person tries to push a very heavy object such as a wall, it
would not at all.

Force can change the shape of an object

Figure 5 Force can change the shape of an object

The shape of an object can be altered if some force is applied on to it. Depending upon the magnitude
of the force that is being applied and the rigidity of the object, the effect on its shape and size can be
observed.
Types of Forces: On the basis of the nature of the interaction between two or more objects, forces can
be classified as:
Contact forces Non-contact forces

These kinds of forces are applied when the objects do

These kinds of forces are applied only when two
not come in contact with each other and yet are exerting
or more objects come in contact with each other.
a force upon each other.

Example: Magnetic Force, Gravitational Force,

Example: Muscular Force, Frictional Force
Electrostatic Force

Contact Forces
1. Muscular Force
The force that comes into play because of the action of muscles is called muscular force. For example:
 Human beings use muscular force in order to walk.
 The expansion and contraction of lungs is because of muscular force
 Movement of food along the food pipe
 Animals can also exit muscular forces; that's why they can move from one place to another
 Figure 6 Muscular Force applied in Tug-of-War

Figure 7 Muscular Force applied by Animals

2. Frictional Force
It is the force that is exerted by the surface over an object whenever the object moves on the surface.
Force of friction has the following characteristics:
 The force of friction always acts in the opposite direction of the motion of the object.
 It leads to generation of heat as two surfaces come in contact with each other. For example,
when we rub our hands together, heat is produced as a result of friction between our hands.
 Frictional force also leads to wear and tear of the surfaces of objects that come in contact with
each other. For example, sole of shoes often gets worn-out due to friction force that acts between
them and the ground as we walk.

Figure 8 Force of Friction acting upon a moving object

3. Air Resistance
Whenever an object moves or flies in the air, it experiences a force called air resistance.
 Figure 9 Air Resistance Experienced by Airplane
Non-Contact Forces
1. Magnetic Force
 The force exerted by any magnetic object is called magnetic force.
 We know that like magnetic poles always repel each other, that is, they push each other away.
 Also, opposite magnetic poles always attract each other, that is, they pull each other towards
themselves.
 

Figure 10 Magnetic Force

2. Electrostatic Force
 The force exerted by a charged particle is called electrostatic force.
 We know that like charges always repel or push each other away.
 Similarly, opposite charges always attract or pull each other towards themselves.

Figure 11 Electrostatic Forces

3. Gravitational force
 It is an attractive force that is applied by the earth on all the objects.
 It is also called the force of gravity or gravity that acts upon all the objects that are present on
or near the Earth's surface.
 Gravity is a property exhibited by every object present in the universe and not only the earth.
Hence, all the planets, the moons and even the sun have a gravitational force of their own.

Figure 12 Gravitational Force

Pressure
 Not only the magnitude of the force but the area upon which it acts also affects the changes it
may bring upon an object.
 The force acting upon a unit area is called pressure.
 Hence, the pressure exerted by an object depends upon its surface area.
 If the surface is small, the amount of pressure applied is large, and vice-versa.
 The SI unit of Pressure is Pascal (Pa) or N/m2

Figure 13 Relation between Force, Pressure and Area

Examples of relationship between the area and pressure:

Figure 14 Calculating pressure for Different Areas

1. A needle has a pointed end that has a very small surface area. Hence when a large force is
exerted upon the needle with a hammer the pressure on the needle increases and it easily moves inside
the wall. 
2. Shoulder bags always have broad straps rather than thin straps in order to minimize the
pressure that would be exerted on the shoulders of the career due to the gravitational force acting upon
the bag.
3. Tools that are used for cutting and piercing always have sharp edges because as a person would
apply a force on the tool, its sharp edges would exert more pressure due to less surface area and the
object wood cut down easily.
4. The two tyres of a tractor are wider because it minimizes the pressure exerted by the tractor on
the ground. As a result, it becomes easier to move the tractor on a muddy field.
5. Camel can walk easily over the sand because it has wide feet which allow them to walk on
sand easily. Human beings, on the other hand, cannot as walk easily on sand as their feet have less
surface area and therefore our feet sink in the sand.
The pressure exerted by liquids and gases
 Liquids exert a pressure on the walls of the container in which they are put in.
 The pressure that a liquid exerts on the bottom of the container is dependent upon the height of
the liquid in the container.
 The liquid exerts equal pressure on different points on the walls of the container having the
same depth.

Figure 15 Pressure Exerted by Liquids

 Similarly, gases also exert pressure on the walls of the container. The molecules of a gas of
higher kinetic energy collide with walls applying large force, and as a result these molecules apply
pressure on the walls of the container.
 Figure 16 Pressure exerted by gases on the walls of a container
Atmospheric Pressure
 A layer of gases is present around the earth’s surface. The air present in the atmosphere exerts
a pressure on the earth which is called atmospheric pressure.
 The value of atmospheric pressure at the sea level is 101325 Pascal.
 The atmospheric pressure keeps on increasing as we move towards the Earth’s surface.

Figure 17 Atmospheric Pressure Demonstration

 The amount of atmospheric pressure upon us is quite large due to the large surface area
of the atmosphere around the earth but we do not experience any of its effects.
o This is so because the pressure of the air inside our body is equal to the atmospheric pressure.
There are also fluids present in our body that exert a pressure inside our body. Hence, our bodies
easily obtain a balance with the atmospheric pressure.
 However sometimes at higher altitudes where the atmospheric pressure is low as
compared to that at the Earth’s surface (low altitudes), nose bleeding occurs.
o This is so because at that time the blood pressure in our body becomes higher than the
atmospheric pressure outside us.
Question 1
How much net force is required to accelerate a 1000 kg car at 4.00 m/s2?
Solution
F=ma
Given a=4.00 m/s2
m=1000kg
Therefore , F=ma=1000×4=4000 kg.m/s2 Note :- 1N = kgm/ s2
F= 4000 N
Question 2
If you apply a net force of 3 N on 0.1 kg-box, what is the acceleration of the box
(a) 2 m/s2
(b) 30 m/s2
(c) 10 m/s2
(d) None of these.
Solution
Given F=3 N
m=0.1 kg
F=ma or
a=F/m=3/0.10 N/kg Note :- 1N = kgm/ s2 ,
2
a= 30 (kgm/s ) / kg
a= 30 m/s2
Question 3
A body of mass 1 kg undergoes a change of velocity of 4m/s in 4s what is the force acting on it?
Solution
Given :- Change of Velocity ( Δv) =4m/s , t=4 s ,m=1kg
Acceleration is given by a=Change of velocity / Time = Δv/ t
a = (4m/s )/4s = 1
a=1 m/s2
Now force is given by
F=ma = 1 x 1 kg m/ s2 Note :- 1N = kgm/ s2 ,
F=1 N

Question 4.
A particle of 10 kg is moving in a constant acceleration 2m/s2 starting from rest. What is its
momentum and velocity per the table given below :
S.No. time Momentum Velocity
1 1sec
2 1.5 sec
3 2 sec
4 2.5 sec
Solution
Velocity can find using (v) =u+at
For u=0
v=at
Momentum P=mv
S.No time Momentum Velocity
1 1sec 20 Kg m/s 2 m/
2 1.5 sec 30 kg m/s 3 m/s
3 2 sec 40 kg m/s 4 m/s
4 2.5 sec 50 kg m/s 5 m/s

Question 5
If a net force of 7 N was constantly applied on 400 g object at rest, how long will it take to raise its
velocity to 80 m/s?
a. 0 s
b. 2.23 s
c. 3.47 s
d. 4.57 s
Solution
Given F=7 N, mass (m) =400g= 400 x (1/1000)kg = 0.4 kg ,
Acceleration is given by a=F/m ( Since , F = ma)
a=7/0.40 = 17.5 m/s2
Now, u=0,v=80 m/s 
v=u+ at
t=(v−u)/ a = (80 – 0)/ 17.50
t=4.57 sec

Question 6
A sedan car of mass 200kg is moving with a certain velocity . It is brought to rest by the application of
brakes, within a distance of 20m when the average resistance being offered to it is 500N.What was the
velocity of the motor car?
Solution
Given :- mass (m) = 200kg , distance (s) = 20m , brought to rest = final velocity (v) = 0
Resistance =F = 500N
Find :- u
Use :- F = ma
a= F/ m
a= -500/200=-2.5 m/s2
Now,
v2=u2+2as
Now v=0,s=20 m,a=-2.5 m/s2
0 = u2+ 2 x (-2.50) x 20
u2 = 2 x (2.50) x 20 = 100 (m/s)2
so, u=10 m/s

Question 7:
A driver accelerates his car first at the rate of 4 m/s2 and then at the rate of 8 m/s2 .Calculate the ration
of the forces exerted by the engines?
Solution:
F1=ma1
and
F2=ma2
So,
Ratio of force exerted is given by (F1/F2) =ma1/ma2=a1/a2=1:2

Question 8
An object of mass 10 g is sliding with a constant velocity of 2 m/ s on a frictionless horizontal table.
The force required to keep the object moving with the same velocity is
(a) 0 N
(b) 5 N
(c) 10 N
(d)20 N
Solution
As m=0, F=0
Hence (a) is correct

Question 9
A cricket ball of mass 0.20 kg is moving with a velocity of 1.2m/s . Find the impulse on the ball and
average force applied by the player if he is able to stop the ball in 0.10s?
Solution
Impulse= Change in momentum = mass x change of velocity = mΔv
I = Δp
Δp =mΔv=0.20×1.2=0.24 Kgm/s
I = 0.24 kgm/s
Now
Impulse is also defined as
I=Force x Time = F.t
So,
0.24 = F.t = F x 0.10
F = 0.24 / 0.10 = 2.4N

Question 10
A car start from rest and acquire a velocity of 54 km/h in 2 sec.
Find
(i) the acceleration
(ii) distance travelled by car assume motion of car is uniform
(iii) If the mass of the car is 1000 Kg,what is the force acting on it?
Solution
Given u=0 ,v= 54 km/hr , ( 1kmph = 1 km/hr = 5/18 m/s)
V = 54 x 5/18 = 15 m/s , t=2 sec
a) Acceleration is given by
a=Δv / t = 15/2
So, a=7.5 m/s2
b) Distance is given by
s=ut+(1/2) at2
s=0 + (1/2) x 7.5 x 2 x 2
s= 15 m
c) Force is given by F=ma=1000×7.5=7500F=ma=1000×7.5=7500 N
Question 11
A hockey ball of mass 0.2 Kg travelling at 10 m/s is struck by a hockey stick so as to return it along its
original path with a velocity at 2 m/s . Calculate the change of momentum occurred in the motion of
the hockey ball by the force applied by the hockey stick.
Solution
Momentum (ΔP) =m×(v−u)
ΔP=m×(v−u)=0.2×(−2−10)=−2.4 kg ms-1
(The negative sign indicates a change in direction of hockey ball after it is struck by hockey stick. )

Question 12
Two objects of masses of 100 gm and 200 gm are moving in along the same line and direction with
velocities of 2 ms-1 and 1 ms-1 respectively. They collide and after collision, the first object moves at a
velocity of 1.67 ms-1. Determine the velocity of the second object?
Solution
Given : m1=100gm=0.1kg ,  m2=200gm=0.2kg
u1=2ms-1, u2=1 ms-1, v1= 1.67 ms-1, v2=?
By the law of conservation of momentum,
m1u1+m2u2=m1v2+m2v2
0.1×2+0.2×1=0.1×1.67+0.2v2
0.2+0.2 = 0.167+0.2v2
0.40 – 0.167 = 0.2v2
0.233 = 0.2v2
v2=0.233/0.2 = 1.165 ms-1
It will move in the same direction after collision
Question 13
Anand leaves his house at 8.30 a.m. for his school. The school is 2 km away and classes start at 9.00
a.m. If he walks at a speed of 3 km/h for the first kilometre, at what speed should he walk the second
kilometre to reach just in time?
Solution

Question 14
An object of mass 1kg acquires a speed of 10 m/s when pushed forward. What is the impulse given to
the object?
Solution
Impulse=Change in Momentum= mass x time = 1 x 10 = 10 Kgm/s

Question 15
A bullet of mass 10 gm is fired with an initial velocity of 20 m/s from a rifle of mass 4 kg. Calculate
the initial recoil velocity of the rifle?
Solution
Let v be the initial recoil velocity of the rifle,
From law of conservation of Momentum
0=.01×20+4×v0=.01×20+4×v
Or v=−.05m/sv=−.05m/s
Question 16
Velocity versus time graph of a ball of mass 100 g rolling on a concrete floor is shown below.
Calculate the acceleration and the frictional force of the floor on the ball?

Solution
From the graph ,
we can see that
Δv=−80m/s, t=8 sec
Now
a=Δvt=−10m/s2
Frictional force will be given as
F=ma=.1×−10=−1NF=ma=.1×−10=−1N

Question 17
Which would require a greater force to accelerating a 2 kg mass at 5 m/s2 or a 6 kg mass at 2 m/s2?
Solution
we have,  F=ma.
Here we have,  m1=2 kg and a1=5m/s2
and m2=6 kg and a2=2m/s2.
So,
F1=m1a1=2×5=10N
F2=m2a2=6×2=8N.
Here F1<F2
Thus, accelerating a 6 kg mass at 2 m/s2 would require a greater force
Question 18
An object of mass 2 kg is sliding with a constant velocity of 8 m/s on a frictionless horizontal table.
The force required to keep the object moving with the same velocity is
(a) 16 N
(b) 8 N
(c) 2 N
(d) 0 N
Solution
(d) as there is no friction force

Example 19:
A force of 1200 N acts on the surface of area 10 cm2 normally. What would be the thrust and
pressure on the surface?
Given:
Force F = 1200 N, Area A = 10 cm2 = 10 ×10-4 m2 = 10-3 m2
Thrust = Normal pressure = F = 1200 N
Pressure P = F/A 1200N10−3m21200N10−3m2            
                      = 1.2 ×× 106 N/m2
Example 20:
The elephant weighs 20,000 N stands on one foot of area 1000 cm 2. How much pressure would it
exert on the ground?
Given:
Force applied by elephant F = 20,000 N, area A = 1000 cm 2 = 1000/100×100m2 = 0.1 m2
The pressure is given by
Pressure P = F/A
      = 20,000N/0.1m2
        = 2,00,000 N/m2.
Example 21:
Calculate the pressure produced by a force of 800 N acting on an area of 2.0 m 2.
Solution:

Pressure is defined as force per unit area or P = F / A

P = (800 N) / (2.0 m2
)
P = 400 N / m2
= 400 Pa

Example 22:
The pressure of a gas contained in a cylinder with a movable piston is 300 Pa. The area of the piston
is 0.5 m2. Calculate the force that is exerted on the piston.
Solution

Pressure is defined as force per unit area or P = F / A

We multiply both sides of the equation by the area to solve for the force as
F=PA
F = (300 Pa) (0.5 m2
)
F = 150 (Pa) m2
= 150 (N / m2
) m2
F = 150 N
Example 23:

A swimming pool of width 9.0 m and length 24.0 m is filled with water to a depth of 3.0 m. Calculate
pressure on the bottom of the pool due to the water.

Solution:

The pressure due to a column of fluid is calculated as the product of the height of the fluid times
the density of the fluid times the acceleration due to gravity. For water the density is d = 1000 kg /
m3
.
?P=dhg
? P = (1000 kg / m3
) (3.0 m) (9.8 m / s2
)
? P = 29400 kg m2 / m3
s2
To simplify the units we cancel one m term in the m2
term in the numerator and one m term in
the m3
term in the denominator to get
? P = 29400 kg m / s2
m2

We know that 1N = 1 kg m / s2
so we can write
? P = 29400 N / m2
= 29400 Pa
 Q1. Give two examples of situations in which applied force causes a change in the shape of an
object.
Ans. Two examples in which applied force causes a change in the shape of an object are:
                          i.        The shape of dough changes on pressing with rolling pin to make chapatis.
                         ii.        The shape of a toothpaste tube changes when we squeeze it.
 
Q2. What are the various effects of force?
Ans. Effects of force are:
                          i.        It may make an object move from rest.
                         ii.        It may change the speed of an object if it is moving.
                        iii.        It may change the direction of motion of an object.
                        iv.        It may bring about a change in the shape of an object.

Q3. Why a fountain of water is created at the leaking joints or holes of pipes of the main water
supply line?
Ans. Many times we see a fountain of water rushing out of the leaking joints (or holes) in the pipes of
main water supply line. It is due to the very high pressure exerted by water on the sides (or walls) of
the pipes that such a fountain of water is formed.
 
Q4. Why does the liquid rise in a syringe when its piston is pulled up?
Or
How does a liquid medicine enter a syringe?
Ans. When the nozzle of a syringe is dipped in a liquid and its piston is withdrawn, the pressure inside
the syringe is lowered. The greater atmospheric pressure acting on the surface of the liquid pushes
the liquid up into the syringe.
 
Q5. Why nose bleeding occurs at high altitudes?
Or
Why do mountaineers suffer from nose bleeding at high altitudes?
Ans. At high altitudes, the atmospheric pressure becomes much less than our blood pressure. Since,
our blood is at higher pressure than outside pressure, therefore, some of the blood vessels in our
body burst and nose bleeding takes place at high altitudes.
 
Q6. Does application of a force would always result in a change in the state of motion of the
object?
Ans. No. Many a time application of force does not result in a change in the state of motion. For
example, a heavy box may not move at all even if you apply the maximum force that you can exert.
Again, no effect of force is observed when you try to push a wall.

Q7. 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.
Ans. In this case, muscular force is acting in upward direction and the force of gravity is acting in
downward direction. The two forces are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction. Therefore, the
net force on the bucket is zero. Hence, there is no change in its state of motion.
 
Q8. Why atmospheric pressure decreases as we go higher up above the earth's surface?
Ans. The pressure at any level in the atmosphere may be interpreted as the total weight of the air
above a unit area at any elevation. Since most of the atmosphere's molecules are held close to the
earth's surface by the force of gravity, air pressure decreases as we go higher up above the earth's
surface.
 
Q9. What happens when a charged plastic straw is brought near another uncharged plastic straw?
Ans. A straw is said to have acquired electrostatic charge after it has been rubbed with a sheet of
paper. Such a straw is an example of a charged body. A straw rubbed with paper attracts another
straw but repels it if it has also been rubbed with a sheet of paper.
 
Q10. Why does a plastic comb rubbed with dry hair attract tiny pieces of paper?
Ans. When a plastic comb is rubbed in dry hair, the comb gets electric charges by friction. And when
this electrically charged comb is brought near tiny pieces of paper, it exerts an electrostatic force of
attraction on them. Due to this electrostatic force, the tiny pieces of paper move towards the comb
and stick to it.

Q11. What is meant by saying that force is due to interaction?

Ans. Example: Suppose a man is standing behind a stationary car. The car will not move just due to
his presence. Suppose the man now begins to push the car, that is, he applies a force on it. The car
may begin to move in the direction of the applied force.
From the above example, we can infer that at least two objects must interact for a force to come into
play.
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
(c) contact
(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:
(i) Muscular force of arms acting upward.
(ii) 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:
(i) Gravitational force of the earth (downward)
(ii) 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
Force and Pressure Class 8 Science NCERT Intext Activities Solved

Activity 1 (NCERT Textbook, Page 128)

Table 11.1 gives some examples of familiar situations involving the motion of objects. You can add
more such situations or replace those given here. Try to identify action involved in each case as a
push and/or a pull and record your observations. One example has been given to help you.
Identifying Actions as Push or Pull

Activity 2 (NCERT Textbook, Page 130)

Choose a heavy object like a table or a box, which you can move only by pushing hard. Try to push it
all by yourself. Can you move it? Now ask one of your friends to help you in pushing it in the same
direction [Fig. 11.1(a)]. Is it easier to move it now? Can you explain why? Now push the same object,
but ask your friend to push it from the op¬posite side [Fig. 11.1 (b)]. Does the object move? If it does,
note the direction in which it moves. Can you guess which one of you is applying a larger force?

Solution:
(i) The box moves with difficulty when we push alone but moves easily if helped by our friend. Thus,
force applied on an object in the same direction add to one another.
(ii) When the object is pushed from the opposite side, it does not move. Thus, if two forces acting in
the opposite direction on an object the net force acting on it is the difference between the two
forces.

Activity 3 (NCERT Textbook, Page 131)

Jake a rubber ball and place it on a level surface such as a tabletop or a concrete floor. Now, gently
push the ball along the level surface (Fig. 11.2). Does the ball begin to move? Push the ball again
while it is still moving. Is there any change in its speed? Does it increase or decrease?
Next, place your palm in front of the moving ball. Remove your palm as soon as the moving ball
touches it. Does your palm apply a force on the ball? What happens to the speed of the ball now?
Does it increase or decrease? What would happen if you let your palm hold the moving ball?

Solution:
When we push the ball along the level surface, the ball begin to move. When we push the ball again
while it is still moving, increases its speed.
When we place our palm in front of the moving ball, decreases its speed. Hence, force can change
the state of motion.

Activity 4 (NCERT Textbook, Page 132)

Take a ball and place it on a level surface as you did in Activity 11.3. Make the ball move by giving it a
push. Now place the ruler from your geometry box in its path as shown in Fig. 11.3. In doing so, you
would apply a force on the moving ball. Does the ball continue to move in the same direction after it
strikes the ruler? Repeat the activity and try to obstruct the moving ball by placing the ruler such that
it makes different angles to its path. In each case note your observations about the direction of
motion of the ball after it strikes the ruler.
Solution:
Ball changes direction after it strikes the ruler. Thus, a force can change direction of motion of a
moving object.
(a) A ball set in motion by pushing it along a level surface and
(b) the direction of motion of the ball after it strikes the ruler placed in its path
Activity 5 (NCERT Textbook, Page 133)
Some situations have been given in Column 1 of Table 11.2 in which objects are not free to move.
Column 2 of the Table suggests the manner in which a force can be applied to each object while
Column 3 shows a diagram of the action. Try to observe the effect of the force in as many situations
as possible. You can also add similar situations using available material from your environment. Note
your observations in Columns 4 and 5 of the table.
Studying the Effect of Force on Objects
Solution:
From the above actions, we can conclude that force can change the shape of an object.

Activity 6 (NCERT Textbook, Page 135)

Take a pair of bar magnets. Place the longer side of one of the magnets over three round shaped
pencils or wooden rollers as shown in Fig. 11.4. Now bring one end of the other magnet near the end
of the magnet placed on the rollers. Make sure that the two magnets do not touch each other.
Observe what happens. Next, bring the other end of the magnet near the same end of the magnet
placed on the rollers (Fig. 11.4). Note what happens to the magnet placed on the rollers every time
another magnet is brought near it.

Solution:
When unlike poles of the magnet are brought near the other magnet, they attract each other and
moves in the direction of another magnet. When like poles of a magnet are brought near to the other
magnet, they repel each other and moves in the direction away from the other magnet.
Thus, the force exerted by a magnet on another magnet is a type of non-contact force.

Activity 7 (NCERT Textbook, Page 136)

Take a plastic straw and cut it into nearly two equal pieces. Suspend one of the pieces from the edge
of a table with the help of a piece of thread (Fig. 11.5). Now hold the other piece of straw in your
hand and rub its free end with a sheet of paper. Bring the rubbed end of the straw near the
suspended straw. Make sure that the two pieces do not touch each other. What do you observe?
Next, rub the free end of the suspended piece of straw with a sheet of paper. Again, bring the piece
of straw that was rubbed earlier with paper near the free end of the suspended straw. What do you
observe now?
Activity 8 :-

Solution:
A straw rubbed with paper attracts another straw but repels it if it has also been rubbed with a sheet
of paper.The force exerted by a charged body on another charged or uncharged body is known as
electrostatic force.

Activity 8 (NCERT Textbook, Page 138)

Take a transparent glass tube or a plastic pipe. The length of the pipe/tube should be about 15 cm
and its diameter should be 5-7.5 cm. Also take a piece of thin sheet of a good quality rubber, say, a
rubber balloon. Stretch the rubber sheet tightly over one end of the pipe. Hold the pipe at the
middle, keeping it in a vertical position (Fig. 11.6). Ask one of your friends to pour some water in the
pipe. Does the rubber sheet bulge out? Note also the height of the water column in the pipe. Pour
some more water. Observe again the bulge in the rubber sheet and the height of the water column in
the pipe. Repeat this process a few more times. Can you see any relation between the amount of the
bulge in the rubber sheet and the height of the water column in the pipe?
Solution:
The amount of bulge in the rubber sheet increases with the height of the water column in the pipe.
Thus, the pressure exerted by water at the bottom of the container depends upon the height of its
column.

Activity 9 (NCERT Textbook, Page 138)

Take a plastic bottle. You can take a discarded water or soft drink bottle. Fix a cylindrical glass tube, a
few cm long near its bottom as shown in Fig. 11.7. You can do so by slightly heating one end of the
glass tube and then quickly inserting it near the bottom of the bottle. Make sure that the water does
not leak from the joint. If there is any leakage, seal it with molten wax. Cover the mouth of the glass
tube with a thin rubber sheet as you did in Activity 11.8. Now fill the bottle upto half with water.
What do you observe? Why does the rubber sheet fixed to the glass tube bulge this time? Pour some
more water in the bottle. Is there any change in the bulge’of the rubber sheet?

Solution:
Yes, the rubber tube bulge out and the bulging increases with the amount of water in the bottle.
Thus, liquid exert pressure on the walls of the container.

Activity 10 (NCERT Textbook, Page 139)

Take an empty plastic bottle or a cylindrical container. You can take a used tin of talcum powder or a
plastic bottle. Drill four holes all around near the bottom of the bottle. Make sure that the holes are
at the same height from the bottom (Fig. 11.8). Now fill the bottle with water. What do you observe?
Do the different streams of water coming out of the holes fall at the same distance from the bottle?
What does this indicate?

Solution:
We observed that different streams of a waterfall at the same distance from the bottle. Thus, it
indicates that liquids exert equal pressure at the same depth.
Activity 11 (NCERT Textbook, page 140)
Take a good quality rubber sucker. It looks like a small rubber cup (Fig. 11.9). Press it hard on a
smooth plane surface. Does it stick to the surface? Now try to pull it off the surface. Can you do it?
Solution:
when we press the sucker, most of the air between its cup and the surface escapes out. The sucker
sticks to the surface because the pressure of the atmosphere acts on it. To pull the sucker off the
surface, the applied force should be large enough to overcome the atmospheric pressure. Thus, this
activity gives us an idea about the magnitude of atmospheric pressure.
NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Science Chapter 11 – 1 Mark Questions and Answers

Question 1.
When we press the bulb of a dropper with its nozzle kept in water, air in the dropper seems 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 [NCERT]
·        pressure of water
·        gravity of the earth.
·        shape of rubber bulb.
·        atmospheric pressure.
Answer:
atmospheric pressure
Question 2.
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 ? [NCERT]
Answer:
Electrostatic force.
Question 3.
Define force.
Answer:
Force is a push or pull on an object.
Question 4.
How many objects should be present for a force to come into play ?
Answer:
There should be atleast two objects for a force to come into play.
Question 5.
Two friends A and B are applying a force of 2 newton and 4 newton on a box in the same direction.
What will be the total force applied by them ?
Answer:
The total force will be 6 newton, i.e., the sum of their individual forces.
Question 6.
In a tug of war, side A applies 10 newton force and side B applies 8 newton force. Which side will the
rope move ?
Answer:
The rope will move towards side A as more force is applied by side A.
Question 7.
What happens to the speed of a body when a force is applied ?
Answer:
The speed of a body can be increased or decreased by applying force.
Question 8.
Can we change the direction of the moving object by applying a force ?
Answer:
Yes, we can change the direction of the moving object by applying a force.
Question 9.
What is meant by change in state of motion of the object ?
Answer:
Any change in the speed or direction of motion or both means a change in state of motion of the
object.
Question 10.
Is it possible that a force changes the direction of motion but not the speed of an object ?
Answer:
Yes, it is possible when a body is moving on a circular path.
Question 11.
Give an example to show that force can change the shape of an object.
Answer:
Pressing a rubber ball with the hand changes its shape
Question 12.
What is meant by muscular force ?
Answer:
The force resulting due to the action of muscles is known” as the muscular force.
Question 13.
What is meant by contact force ?
Answer:
A force which is applied only when it is in contact with an object is called a contact force.
Question 14.
Does the force of friction also act on the objects moving in the air ?
Answer:
Yes, air also offers friction to objects moving in air.
Question 15.
Is it essential for the agent applying a force on an object to be in contact ?
Answer:
No, the force can also act from a distance. It is known as non-contact force.
Question 16.
Give one example of a force which can act from a distance.
Answer:
Magnetic force, i.e., the force exerted by a magnet on another magnet or a piece of iron.
Question 17.
What is meant by force of gravitation ?
Answer:
The force of attraction exerted by the earth on all objects is called the force of gravitation.
Question 18.
Is the force of gravity a contact force or non-contact force ?
Answer:
Force of gravity is a non-contact force.
Question 19.
Which force is responsible for the weight of objects ?
Answer:
The force of gravity is responsible for the weight of objects.
Question 20.
Does the force of gravitation exist between two objects on the earth ?
Answer:
Yes, the force of gravitation exists between two objects on the earth but it is very weak.
Question 21.
Do the gases and liquids exert pressure on the walls of the container ?
Answer:
Yes, liquids and gases exert pressure on the walls of the container.
Question 22.
Define atmosphere.
Answer:
The air surrounding us is known as atmosphere.
Question 23.
Name two types of contact forces.
Answer:
Muscular force and frictional force.
Question 24.
Name the force due to which planets revolve around the sun.
Answer:
Gravitational force.
NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Science Chapter 11 – 2 Mark Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Why is it comfortable to lift a school bag with broad straps than thin straps ? [NCT 2008]
Answer:
Pressure is inversely proportional to area. Since broader straps have greater area, therefore, the
pressure decreases.
Question 2.
Why do mountaineers suffer from nose bleeding at high altitudes ?
Answer:
The atmospheric pressure decreases with high altitude. Since the pressure of the blood inside the
body is high, the nose starts bleeding.
Question 3.
Why is easier to hammer a sharp nail into wood than a blunt one ?
Answer:
Pressure = force / area.
Therefore, when we hammer a sharp nail, force acts on a smaller area, and it exerts more pressure
on the nail.
Question 4.
How would pressure change if
1.      area is doubled keeping force constant
2.      force is doubled keeping area constant ?
Answer:
1.      If area is doubled keeping the force constant, then pressure becomes half.
2.      If force is doubled keeping area constant, then pressure becomes double.
Question 5.
Why are caterpillar tracks used in battle tanks instead of tyres ?
Answer:
Caterpillar tracks are used in battle tanks instead of tyres to increase the area of contact. As a result
they can even cross sinking grounds as the pressure exerted on the ground is less.
Question 6.
Give two examples each of situations in which you push or pull to change the state of motion of
objects. [NCERT]
Answer:
Push — moving a loaded cart, batsman hitting a ball.
Pull — opening a drawer, drawing a bucket of water from a well.
Question 7.
Give two examples of situations in which applied force causes a change in the shape of an object.
[NCERT]
Answer:
·        Pressing a lump of dough with hand.
·        Pressing an inflated balloon.
Question 8.
A blacksmith hammers a hot piece of iron while making a tool. How does the force due to hammering
affect the piece of iron ? [NCERT]
Answer:
The piece of iron becomes flattened due to the force of hammering.
Question 9.
A camel is able to move fast on sand. Why ?
Answer:
A camel is able to move fast on sand because it has flat broad feet. This increases the area of contact
and therefore, the pressure exerted by the camel on the sand reduces. Hence, the camel’s feet sink
very little in the sand.
Question 10.
When does a force come into play ?
Answer:
An object’s interaction with another object results in a force between the two objects.
Question 11.
If the force is applied opposite to the motion, what will happen to the speed of the object ?
Answer:
When the force is applied opposite to the motion of the object, then either the speed decreases or
the direction changes.
Question 12.
State the two factors which describe the state of motion of an object.
Answer:
The state of motion is described by its speed and direction of motion.
Question 13.
A stone is tied to a thread and moved in a circular path. Is any force required to do this ? Is there any
change in speed of the stone ?
Answer:
Yes, a force is required to keep the stone moving along a circular path with a constant speed, i.e., the
speed does not change.
Question 14.
How do the mud particles fly off the wheels of a vehicle moving on the wet road ?
Answer:
The direction of the mud particles change at every point as the wheels of the vehicle move.
Question 15.
Can muscular force be applied on an object without being directly in contact with it ?
Answer:
No, muscular force can be applied only when it is in contact with an object.
Question 16.
Why does a boat come to rest when we stop rowing it ?
Answer:
The boat comes to rest when we stop rowing it due to the force of friction acting between the
surface of water and the boat.
Question 17.
What is meant by electrostatic force ? Is it a contact force or a non-contact force ?
Answer:
The force exerted by a charged body is known as electrostatic force. It is a non-contact force.
Question 18.
Do we feel the effect of atmospheric pressure ? Why ?
Answer:
No, we do not feel the pressure of the atmosphere because air is present everywhere. Also the
pressure of air inside our body is same as that of the atmosphere.
NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Science Chapter 11 – 3 Mark Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Define Pressure. Write the relation between pressure force and area. Name the instrument used to
measure atmospheric pressure. [NCT 2009]
Answer:
Pressure is force per unit area.
Pressure = Force/Area
Barometer is use to measure atmospheric pressure.
Question 2.
Why is it difficult to cut vegetables with a blunt knife ?
Answer:
Pressure is inversely proportional to area. The area of the blunt knife is more and therefore, the
effect of the force is less. Therefore, more force has to be applied.
Question 3.
Trucks intended to carry heavy loads have eight tyres instead of four tyres. Why ?
Answer:
Trucks intended to carry heavy loads have eight tyres, so as to increase the area of contact with the
road. Since pressure is inversely proportional to area, less pressure is applied on the road.
Question 4.
Give reasons for the following :
1.      The skiers use flat and broad skis
2.      Deep sea divers wear special suits.
Answer:
1.      The skiers use flat and broad skis to ski on the snow. The larger surface of skis reduces
pressure on snow and helps them to slide instead of sinking.
2.      Deep sea divers wear special suits, because the pressure of water increases with depth. The
increased pressure may hurt the body of divers.
Question 5.
How does the medicine enter a dropper ?
Answer:
When the dropper is pressed, the air inside the dropper is driven out. The pressure inside the
dropper decreases and the medicine rushes inside the dropper.
Question 6.
You are given rubber sucker with a hook. Can you use it for hanging articles ? Explain how ? Give the
principle involved.
Answer:
We can use it for hanging articles. On pressing the sucker, the air between the cup and the surface
escapes out. The pressure inside is reduced, but the atmospheric pressure is more. Therefore, the
sucker remains stuck.
Question 7.
A boy throws a ball upwards, but it comes down after sometime. Why ? Which force is acting on the
ball ? What type of force is it ?
Answer:
The ball comes down to the force of gravity exerted by the earth. Force of gravity is a non-contact
force and it acts on a body even though the two are not in contact with each other.
Question 8.
1.      Name the two contact forces.
2.      Why do we observe sparks coming out from a synthetic shirt when we take it off our body ?
 3.      Which force pulls the iron nails towards a magnet ?
Answer:
1.      Muscular force and force of friction.
2.      The sparks come out from a synthetic shirt due to the electrostatic charge on it.
3.      Magnetic force.
NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Science Chapter 11 – 5 Mark Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Fill in the blanks in the following statements : [NCERT]
1.      To draw water from a well we have to ………….. at the rope.
2.      A charged body ……….. an uncharged body towards it.
3.      To move a loaded trolley we have to ……………. it.
4.       The north pole of a magnet …………… the north pole of another magnet.
Answer:
1.      pull.
2.      attracts
3.      push
4.      repels
Question 2.
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
tatements using the following terms.
muscular, contact, non-contact, gravity, friction, shape, attraction. [NCERT]
1.      To stretch the bow, the archer applies a force that causes a change in its ………….
2.      The force applied by the archer to stretch the bow is an example of ………….. force.
3.      The type of force responsible for a change in the state of motion of the arrow is an example
of a ……………. force.
4.      While the arrow moves towards its target, the forces acting on it are due to and ……………… of
air.
Answer:
1.      shape
2.      muscular
3.      contact
4.      gravity, friction
Question 3.
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. [NCERT]
(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:

Agent exerting the force Object Effect of force on object

 (a) Fingers Lemon Lemon juice comes out.

(b) Fingers Toothpaste tube Toothpaste comes out.

(c) Spring Load Load is suspended.

(d) Athlete Height of the Bar Jumping helps to cross the bar
 Question 4.
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. [NCERT]
Answer:
The forces acting on the bucket is its own weight acting downwards and the muscular force of the
hand acting upwards. Since both the forces are equal and acting in opposite directions, they balance
each other. So, they donot bring any change in the state of motion of bucket. The hand feels tired
due to the weight of bucket.
Question 5.
1.      While constructing dams, the base is made more wide. Why ?
2.      Why does blood ooze out when there is a slight cut on your body ?
Answer:
1.      The pressure of liquids increases as the depth increases. Therefore, the base is made wider to
withstand the high pressure of water.
2.      Blood pressure is little greater than atmospheric pressure. Due to this, the blood oozes out
when we have a slight cut on our body.
Question 6.
1.      Define atmospheric pressure.
2.      What happens to the atmospheric pressure on mountains ?
3.      What makes a balloon stretch if it is filled with air ?
Answer:
1.      Atmospheric pressure is the pressure exerted by air.
2.      As we go on the mountains, the atmospheric pressure decreases.
3.       The air exerts pressure on the balloon and therefore, it stretches.
Question 7.
1.      Define one atmosphere.
2.      Where is the pressure greater, 10 m below the surface of sea or 20 m below ?
3.      Where is pressure greatest and the least inside a bottle filled with water.
Answer:
1.      The pressure which can support 76 cm ornercury in a mercury barometer, is called one
atmosphere.
2.      20 m below the surface of sea the pressure is greater.
3.      The pressure is greatest at the bottom and least on the surface of water filled in a bottle.
Question 8.
1.      What is weight ?
 2.      What is the unit of weight ? .
3.      Name the device used for measuring the weight of an object.
4.      Can weight be taken as a measure of force ?
Answer:
1.      Weight of an object is the force of gravity acting on the object.
2.      Unit of weight is newton or kilogram weight.
3.      Spring balance is used for measuring the weight of an object.
4.      Yes, the weight can be taken as a measure of force.
Question 9.
Name the type of force in the following cases.
1.      Raindrops falling on the earth.
2.      Holding a book on your hand.
3.      Running a comb through your dry hair.
4.      A bar magnet suspended freely.
5.      Bullocks ploughing the field.
Answer:
1.      Force of gravity.
2.      Force of gravitation (weight).
3.      Electrostatic force.
4.      Magnetic force.
5.      Muscular force.
Question 10.
Using a manometer how can you show that the liquid pressure remains same at the same depth?
Answer:
Take a large glass jar full of water. Slowly lower the manometer into the water. Keep the funnel at
the same depth, but pointing in different directions. You will notice that the difference in the liquid
level remains the same. This proves that the pressure in a liquid remains the same in all directions at
the same depth.

Question 11.
What happens to the atmospheric pressure if,
1.      the temperature is high.
2.      the humidity in air increases.
3.      metrological office; predicts fair weather
4.      there is a storm. .
5.      the weather is dry.
Answer:
1.      Atmospheric pressure decreases.
 2.      Atmospheric pressure decreases.
3.      Atmospheric pressure increases.
4.      Atmospheric pressure decreases.
5.      Atmospheric pressure increases.
Question 12.
1.      Define friction.
2.      Is it a contact force or non-contact force?
3.      Why do we rub our hands in winter ?
Answer:
1.      Friction is the force which comes into play when one object moves on the surface of another.
2.      It is a contact force.
3.      When we rub our hands in winter heat is generated due to the force of friction. Therefore,
we feel warm.

Question 1.
A batsman hits a cricket ball which then rolls on the level ground. After covering a short
distance the ball comes to rest. The ball stops due to
(a) magnetic force
(b) frictional force
(c) gravitational force
(d) muscular force
Answer:
(b)
Question 2.
When two forces applied on an object are equal and opposite, then these forces
(a) may move the object.
(b) may stop the object.
(c) may move the object and also cause a change in its shape.
(d) do not move the object but may cause a change in its shape.
Answer:
(d)
Question 3.
When two unbalanced forces act on a body, in opposite directions, the net force is equal to
(a) the sum of the individual unbalanced forces.
(b) zero.
(c) difference between the two unbalanced forces and is in the direction of the larger force.
(d) difference between the two unbalanced forces and is in the direction of smaller force.
Answer:
(c)
Question 4.
Nails have pointed ends. This results in
(a) a decrease in the force exerted on them.
(b) a decrease in the effect of the force exerted on them.
(c) an increase in the force exerted on them.
(d) an increase in the effect of the force exerted on them.
Answer:
(c)
Question 5.
Which of the following is an example of contact force ?
(a) Magnetic force
(b) Muscular force
(c) Electric force
(d) Gravitational force
Answer:
(b)
Question 6.
Fruits falling from trees is an example of
(a) gravitational force
(b) muscular force
(c) frictional force
(d) electric force
Answer:
(a)
Question 7.
The unit of measuring pressure is
(a) newton
(b) newton/metre
(c) metre2
(d) metre2/newton
Answer:
(b)
Question 8.
In liquids, the pressure
(a) increases with depth
(b) decreases with depth
(c) remains same at all depths
(d) sometimes increases sometimes decreases
Answer:
(a)
Question 9.
During dry weather, rubbing a plastic scale with dry hair, attracts small pieces of paper. This is due to
(a) gravitational force
(b) electrostatic force
(c) frictional force
(d) muscular force
Answer:
(b)