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March 2020 EPHPFP (010126)

Tutorial 6
Pressure

1. A sealed U-tube contains nitrogen in one arm and helium (at pressure p) in the other
arm. The grasses are separated by mercury of density ρ with diameters as shown
below. Which one of the following gives the pressure of the nitrogen?
(a) P (b) ρgx (c) p – ρgx (d) p + ρgx

Helium at
Nitrogen
pressure p
Ans: (d) p + ρgx
x

Mercury

2. A manometer is connected to a gas supply. Pressure can be measured in cm of water.

What is the pressure of gas? (P + 8 cmH2O)
Air pressure P
Connected to
gas supply
Ans: P + 8 cmH2O

8 cm
Water
6 cm

3. The figure below shows a hydraulic press to raise a certain load. An effort of 200 N
applied at E is just able to raise a load of 1000 N steadily upward. If the cross
sectional area of the piston is 10 cm2, what is the cross sectional area of the platform
holding the load, L? (50 cm2)
L
E

Ans: Force, FL = 1000 N

Force, FE = 200 N
Pressure, P = FE / AE = FL / AL
200 / 10 = 1000 / AL
10 cm2 AL AL = 50 N/cm2

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March 2020 EPHPFP (010126)

4. The atmospheric pressure is due to the weight of the air above the surface of the
earth. The atmospheric pressure at sea level is 760 mm of mercury. The density of
mercury is 13,600 kg/m3.
Height Atmospheric pressure
(mm mercury)
Mt. Everest
8848 m

760 mmHg
0 Sea level

(a) Name and draw a well-labelled diagram of the instrument that can be used to
measure atmospheric pressure.
(b) Calculate the atmospheric pressure at sea level in SI unit. (1.014 x105 Pa)
(c) Assuming that the density of air is constant and is 1.1 kg/ m 3, estimate the height of
the Earth’s atmosphere. (9396.72 m)
(d) Calculate the atmospheric pressure in mm of mercury, on top of Mt. Everest which
is height 8848 m. (44 mmHg)
(e) Discuss whether you would expect the actual height of Earth’s atmosphere to be
higher or lower than the answer to (c) above .
vacuum
Ans: (a) Barometer mercury

(b) Pressure, P = hρg

Atm.
P = 0.760 x 13,600 x 9.81 Pressure
Height
= 1.014 x105 Pa (Air) (Hg)

(c) P = hairρairg 9396.72 m 0 mm Hg

1.014 x 105 = hair x 1.1 x 9.81 8848 m X =44 mm Hg
hair = 9396.72 m

(d) Differential pressure between sea level and top of Mt. Everest: hHg
hairρairg = hHgρHgg
8848 x 1.1 = hHg x 13,600 0m 760 mm Hg
hHg = 0.716 m

Atm pressure at Mt. Everest = 0.76 – 0.716 = 0.044 = 44 mm Hg

(e) In realty, the density of air decreases, as the height of the Earth’s
atmosphere increases, hence the actual height to Earth’s atmosphere is
higher than the answer to part (c).
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March 2020 EPHPFP (010126)

5. Figure shows a piston in a cylinder that is connected to a manometer. The gas

pressure in the cylinder is 128 kPa.
The density of mercury in the manometer is 13,600 kg/m 3.
(a) Mark a point with a “X” on the right stem of the manometer where the pressure is
approximate 0.10 mHg higher than the gas pressure.
(b) Calculate the atmospheric pressure in Pa. (1.013 x105 Pa)
(c) Describe and explain what will happen to the mercury levels in both stems if more
mercury is poured into the manometer.
(d) To investigate the relationship between the pressure and volume of the gas, the
piston is pushed slowly to the right to decrease the volume of the gas.
Explain, in terms of the gas molecules, why the pressure inside the cylinder
increases.

piston cylinder

gas
0.20 m

mercury

gas
Ans: (a)

(b) Patmos = Pgas – mercury height

= 128,000 – 13,600 x 9.81 x 0.20 0.10 m
= 1.013 x105 Pa X

(c) The levels will rise but the difference in the

levels remains the same (hHg = 0.20 cm mercury
remain same).
This is because the gas and atmospheric
pressure remain the same.

(d) The distance travelled by gas molecules

before colliding with the internal walls of
the cylinder has decreased, thus
increasing the frequency of collisions with
the internal walls.
Therefore, the average force exerted per
unit area on the internal walls will
increase.
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