3.

Idea of Gas Pressure

1. Use a bicycle pump to pump air into a deflated ball

(a) When air is pumped into a ball, what changes do you

observe in the ball?

____________________________________

(b) How would you know when there is enough air in the ball?
Explain.

____________________________________

____________________________________

When you squeeze a ball filled with air, you will feel an __________
force acting from the inside of the ball.

The force comes from billions and billions of air molecules striking
the inner wall of the ball.
The molecules are in constant ________ motion.
When the molecules _________ with the inner wall of the ball, the
force of collisions _________ the wall outwards.

The __________ exerted on the inner wall of the ball results in the air
/ gas pressure in the ball.

Explain gas The gas pressure in a container is caused by the collision of gas
pressure molecules with the walls of the container.
Gas/Air pressure is the force exerted on a surface by air molecules
per unit area of the surface.

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 Explain
atmos- Atmospheric pressure is the pressure caused by the weight of the
pheric air above us.
pressure Atmospheric pressure acts equally in all directions.
Atmospheric pressure varies with the height of the object above sea
level. It decreases with the altitude or the height above sea level. At
higher altitudes, the density and the temperature of the air are lower.
As a result, the frequency of collisions of the molecules is lower.
Hence, atmospheric pressure is lower.

Experiments to show the existence of the atmospheric pressure

1. Fill an empty plastic bottle with hot water until it is about a quarter full. Tighten the cap
immediately and wait for a few seconds.

The hot water in the plastic bottle __________. Then the bottle is closed. Cold water is
poured on it, the water vapor inside the bottle __________ and it forms partial vacuum
inside the bottle. The atmospheric pressure outside which is _____________ then
compress the bottle.

2. Fill a glass with water until it is almost full. Place a

cardboard over the glass. By supporting the cardboard
on the top of the glass, slowly invert the glass. Slowly
remove the hand that is supporting the cardboard.

The cardboard ______________ and the water

___________________
The explanation for this phenomenon is that the resultant
force caused by the ____________ pressure acts on the
surface of the cardboard is ________ than the weight of the
water in the glass.

2
 Describe the applications of atmospheric pressure

1. Drinking Straw
 When drinking from a straw, one tends to suck the
straw. This causes the pressure inside the straw _to
decrease_.
 The outside atmospheric pressure is _greater__ will
then act on the surface of the water in the glass,
causing it to rise up the straw.

2. A rubber sucker which is __press___ onto a flat

smooth surface cannot be easily removed from the
surface.

 When the cup of the rubber sucker is leveled, the

______ from the lower portion of the cup will be
crushed out
 A _____ pressure area will be formed in the cup. A
higher ___________ pressure will now press the sucker
firmly onto the surface.

3. Syringe

 When the piston of the syringe is pulled upwards, a

______ pressure zone is created within it.

 The _________ atmospheric pressure will push the water

into the syringe.

4. Siphon
A siphon is very useful for removing liquids from a
tank or a fixed container.
For example, dirty water is sucked out of an
aquarium.
It consists of a tube which has been filled with
liquid and one end of it is placed in a tank.

 The water pressure is the______________ as the atmospheric pressure at A, B and C.

 The water pressure at D = atmospheric pressure + h ρ g
 The _________________water pressure causes water to flow out at D.
 This process will continue as long as both ends of tube are ___________ the water level

5. Vacuum Cleaner c

A fan sucks out the air from space A and ________

the air pressure just beyond the bag. The
____________ rushes in, carrying dust and dirt with
3
it. The bag acts as a filter, stopping the dust and dirt,
but not the air.
6. Pouring our condensed milk from its can

The presence of a second hole is to enable _____ to

flow into the can and results in the pressure of air in
the can same as the atmospheric pressure.
The atmospheric pressure will force the milk out of the
lower hole.

Explain why the ‘Malaysia Boleh’ sticker sticks

well to the helmet when on the surface of the
Earth but falls off from the same helmet when
the astronaut stands on the surface of the
Moon.

Atmospheric Pressure Measuring Instrument

1. Mercury Barometer

4
It comprises a glass tube filled with mercury and
which is inverted where one end is submerged in a
container of mercury.
The mercury column drops until it reaches a height of
about 76 cm above the lower surface. The region
above the mercury level in the tube is a vacuum.

The column of mercury in the tube is supported by

the atmospheric pressure and its height h depends
on the magnitude of the atmospheric pressure.

At sea level, atmospheric pressure will support a

column or mercury 760 mm / 76 cm high, on average.

PAtm = PHg = ρgh = h cm Hg

PATM = 76 cm Hg // 760 mm Hg
ρ = density of mercury
g = gravitational field strength
h = vertical height of mercury, in metre (m)

The actual value of atmospheric pressure varies slightly depending on the weather. Rain clouds
form in large areas of lower pressure, so a fall in the barometer reading may mean that rain is on
the way.
Atmospheric pressure also decreases with height above sea level.
This idea is used in the altimeter, an instrument fitted in aircraft to measure altitude.

Question 1 The height of the mercury column is 76 cm.

(a) What is the value of the atmospheric pressure in cm Hg?

76 cm Hg

(b) What is the pressure at point x in cm Hg?

(76 + 14)cm Hg = 90 cm Hg

(c) If the density of the mercury is 1.36 x 104 kg m-3 and the
acceleration due to gravity is 10 ms-2, calculate the
atmospheric pressure in pascal.

P = ρhg = (0.76m)(1.36x10 )(10)

At sea level: = 1.03 x 10 Pa = 10 Pa
Atmospheric pressure

= …1.013 x 10 ….. Pa
(d) The density of water is 1000 kg m-3. If a barometer is
= ………76…….. cm Hg
made using water instead of mercury, and a very long
tube, how high is the water column.
= ……………10.13 m water

= ………1…. Atm h(1000)(10)=1.013 x 10

h = 10.13 m

Question 2
If a mercury barometer were carried up a
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mountain, how would you expect the height
of the mercury column to change?

Question 3
The diagram shows a mercury barometer. Gas X is
trapped in a glass tube. If the vertical height of the
mercury level is 40 cm of Hg and the atmospheric
pressure is 75 cm Hg, calculate the pressure exerted by
the gas X inside the tube.

Ans ; 75 – 40 = 35 cm Hg

2. Aneroid Barometer

An aneroid barometer consists of a flexible

metal can which most of the air inside the
can has been taken out of it.
When the surrounding pressure _________,
the top of the can is squeezed down slightly
causing the pointer to move along the
curved scale measuring the corresponding
pressure.

Instruments for Measuring Gas Pressure and Atmospheric Pressure

1. Bourdon Gauge
The movement of a gas into the hollow copper
tube causes it to straighten slightly.
A system of lever and gear will enable a pointer
to move along the round scale indicating the
pressure of the gas measured.

2. Manometer

6
A manometer consists of a U-tube that is
filled with a liquid like water, oil or
mercury.
In figure (a) when both ends of the tube is
exposed to atmospheric pressure, both
levels are the same.
In figure (b) when one end is connected to
a gas supply, the difference in level, h
gives the pressure of the gas, P.

Pgas = Patmospheric + ρgh

Question 1
Show the direction of Pgas , Patmospheric and Pmecury.
Given Patmospheric = 76 cm Hg dan h = 20 cm, find the value of Pgas

Pgas = ………76 cm Hg……… Pgas = 76 cm Hg +20 Pgas = 76 - 20 = 56 cm Hg

Question 2 A mercury manometer with one end attached to a gas
supply measures a difference in the level of mercury of
32 cm.
Calculate the pressure of the gas supply in
(a) cm Hg
(b) pascal
[Patmospheric = 76 cm Hg, g = 10 Nkg-1 density of mercury =
1.36 x 104 kg m-3]

Answer: a) 76 + 32 = 108 cm Hg
b) Pgas = Patmospheric + ρgh
= 1.013x10 Pa + 0.32(1.36 x10 )(10)
= 1.27 x10 Pa

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TUTORIAL 3.3
1. Gas pressure exits because the gas
molecules
A. move randomly and freely
B. move at the same velocity
C. collide with one another in elastic
collisions and with the walls of the
container in
D. collides with the wall of the container
produces change of momentum
2. Which one of the following pairs of
measuring instruments to measure gas
pressure is true?
A. Bourdon gauge and manometer
B. Manometer and Fortin’s barometer
C. Bourdon gauge and Fortin’ barometer
D. Fortin’s barometer Fortin and
Aneroid barometer
3. The figure shows a manometer used to
determine pressure in a gas tank.
Which comparison is correct about
pressure in the gas tank with the
atmospheric pressure? (2004)
A Pressure in the gas tank is equal to
the atmospheric pressure
B Pressure in the gas tank is greater
than the atmospheric pressure
A Pressure in the gas tank is less than
the atmospheric pressure
4. The figure shows a manometer is
connected to a gas supply.
If the atmospheric pressure is 76 cm Hg
determine the pressure of the gas.
A 30 cm Hg B 46 cm Hg
C 76 cm Hg D 86 cm Hg
E 106 cm Hg
5. We do not experience the atmospheric
pressure at sea level because
A. the atmospheric is very light
B. the density of atmospheric is less
than the density of our body
C. the force exerted by the atmospheric
pressure is zero
D. the pressure of our body equal to the
atmospheric pressure
6. The figures show a simple mercury
barometer. Which one shows the
height,h, to be measure to find
atmospheric pressure?
7. The figure shows a mercury barometer.
What happen to the height of h if the
glass tube is tilted ?
A decreases
B increases
C remains unchanged
8. The height of mercury in a barometer will
be decreased if
A. the glass tube is lowered further into
the container
B. the glass tube is lifted up from the
container
C. the atmospheric decreases
D. the glass tube is tilted
8
 13. The figure shows a suction pump being
pressed against a smooth wall. The
9. Normally mercury is used in a barometer pump sticks to the wall when released.
because it is
A expands uniformly
B has a higher density
C has a higher boling point
D does not stick to the glass tube

10. If the density of mercury is 1.4 x 104 kgm-

3
, and the atmospheric pressure is 75 cm
Hg, what is the atmospheric the units The pump sticks to the wall because ….
Pa? (2005)
A 1.05 x 105 B 1.05 x 104 A the atmospheric pressure is equal
C 1.86 x10 5
D 1.08 x 104 to the pressure inside the pump
E 1.00 x 10 4 B the atmospheric pressure is less
than the pressure inside the pump
11. The figure shows a mercury barometer. C the atmospheric pressure is more
than the pressure inside the pump

14. Diagram below shows a simple

barometer. The difference in height of
the two mercury levels is h.

What is the pressure at point X?

[ The atmospheric pressure = 75 cm Hg ]
A 0 cm Hg B 65 cm Hg
C 75cm Hg D 85 cm Hg
E 100 cm Hg

12. The figure shows a mercury barometer.

What happens to the value of h when
mercury is added to the container?
(2007)
A. Increases
B. Decreases
C. No change

15. Which of the following situations only

occurs due to atmospheric pressure?
(2007)
If the vacuum space in the tube is filled
with gas X , what is the pressure of gas
X?
[ The atmospheric pressure = 75 cm Hg ]
A 0 cm Hg B 20 cm Hg
C 55 cm Hg D 75 cm Hg
E 95 cm Hg

9
 (e) What will happen to the value of h if
16. The figure shows an arrangement of (i) the tube is raised through a
apparatus is used to determine the height 10 cm
atmospheric pressure in a laboratory.
The length of the glass tube is 100 cm ………………………………………
and the atmospheric pressure in the lab
is 75 cm Hg. (ii) the tube is lowered through a
depth of 5 cm

………………………………………

(iii) the glass tube is inclined

abaout 50 from the vertical line.

………………………………………

(iv) the surrounding temperature

increases.

………………………………………

(v) the apparatus is placed on the

top of a mountain.

………………………………………
(a) Name the apparatus as shown in
the figure. (vi) the space P in the tube is filled
with the little of water.
……………………………………………
………………………………………
(b) Name the space P.
(f) Given that the density of water is
…………………………………………… 1000 kgm-3 and the density of
mercury is13600 kgm-3 . Determine
(c) (i) What is the value of h?
(i) the atmospheric pressure in units Pa
………………………………………………

(ii) Give one reason why don’t the

mercury column drops until it
reacheas the level of the
mercury in the dish?
(ii) the value of h if the mercury is
……………………………………… replaced by water.

………………………………………

(d) Determine the pressure in units cm

Hg at point

(i) J

(ii) K

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