7.

1 Density

It is mass per unit volume, the symbol of density is ρ and read as rho.

The unit for this is:

ρ= Kg/cm3
m= kg
V= cm3
The standard unit for density in the SI unit is
kg/m³ but sometimes it can also be g/cm³.
1000kgm-3 = 1gcm-3
The density of water is approximately 1000kgm-3

7.2 Pressure

Pressure is defined as the normal force acting per unit cross sectional-area.
We can write this as a equation:

The unit pressure are newtons per square metre (Nm-2) which we can also say pascal (Pa)
1Pa = 1N m-2

Pressure in a fluid
Fluid could be liquid or gas
The pressure in a fluid depends on three factors:
-depth (h) below the surface
- density ( ρ) of fluid
- Acceleration due to gravity (g)
 The formula of pressure in a fluid is

The units are:

p=Pa (pascal)
h= metre
ρ= kg/m3
gravity = 9.8m/s

7.3 Archimedes Principle

Archimedes principle or also known as buoyant force is the upthrust acting on a body is equal to
the weight of the liquid or gas that it displaces.
If the volume is greater than the weight then the object will float.
The force acting upwards on the bottom surface is larger than the force acting downwards on
the top surface which causes upthrust.

The formula is
FA = ρgv
FA= upthrust force (N)
ρ= fluid’s density (kg/m3)
g= gravity (9.8 m/s)
v= area X height (m3)

Real weight = upthrust + apparent weight

W = FA + W

7.4 compressive and tensile forces

We need force to change the shape of a spring. If the spring is being squashed it’s called
comprehensive. When we put tension or pull a spring it is called tensile.
Extension is the increased length of a material from its original length.

Hooke’s law
It is the law of elasticity. states that the force needed to extend or compress a spring by
some distance scales linearly with respect to that distance
States the extension of a material is directly proportional to the applied force, provided
the limit proportionally is not exceeded.
We can use a graph of force against extension to find the stiffness of a spring.
For a spring, the point OA is a straight line passing through the origin. The extension X is
directly proportional to the applied force. This causes the graph to be a linear graph. The
gradient is the spring constant. Hence, the formula for hooke’s law is:

K is the gradient from the graph. From the graph we can see that if the force increases
the spring constant will increase, vice versa. If the extension decreases the spring
constant increases.

Note:

Point A is known as limit of proportionality (the point which extension-of spring- is no

longer proportional to the force.
Elastic deformation -an object returns to its initial length when the force is removed has
deformed elastically.
Plastic deformation - has deformed plastically
Elastic limit - value of stress beyond which an object (such as spring) will not return to its
original dimensions
7.5 stretching materials

Strain
Extension per unit length
Formula:
Units:
Extension (x) = metres (m)
Original length (L) = metres (m)
strain/ε (read as epsilon) =has no unit
Extension and original length must have
the same unit.
Sometimes strain is given as a
percentage.
Ex. a strain of 0.012 is equivalent to 1.2%
We use thin wire for strain because if we use thick one it will not stretch as much for the same
force.

Stress
Force per unit cross-sectional area that acts at a right angle to a surface.

Units:
F/normal force = newton (N)
A/Cross sectional area = m2
stress/ σ read as sigma= pascal (Pa)
1Pa = 1 N/m2

Young Modulus
If we use hooke’s law to measure the stiffness of a spring/wire we use young modulus to find
the stiffness of a material not minding its shape of sive.
The stress in the material divided by strain.
Formula:
 Units:
E= N/m2
σ= N/m2
ε= no unit
The unit of young modulus is the same as stress
Note:
1 MPa = 106 Pa
1 GPa = 109 Pa

Usually we plot a graph with stress on the vertical axis and strain on the horizontal axis.

7.6 elastic potential energy

When we stretch a material we need work because we have to apply force and the material
extends in the direction of the force.
Elastic potential energy or strain energy is energy stored in due to a change in its shape
We can determine how much elastic potential energy involved from a force-extension graph.
work done = force X distance moved in the direction of force
There’s 2 ways to find the work done from the graph
1)

2)

The work done in stretching and compressing a material is always equal to the area under the
graph of force against extension
work done= the product of the force and the distance moved in the direction of the force; the
area under a force-extension graph

So