Physics Form 5 Chapter 2 Pressure Notes/Example

2.3 Gas Pressure

Explain gas pressure

Measuring gas
pressure by using
manometer

Example 1

Measuring gas
pressure by using
Bourdon Gauge

Example 1:
A mercury manometer is connected to a flask containing
compressed gas as shown in Fig. 1.
a) State the pressure of compressed gas in cm Hg.
b) Calculate the gas pressure in Pa.
c) Will the answer in (a) and (b) change if both the
left and right arms of the U-tube have a larger diameter?
[Atmospheric pressure = 76 cm Hg, density of Hg=13600 kg m-3,
and gravitational acceleration, g = 9.81 m s-2]

Prepared by Pn Zainab Idris

 Physics Form 5 Chapter 2 Pressure Notes/Example
Example 2:
A mercury manometer is used to measure the pressure in
an air flow pipe.
a) State the difference between the air pressure in the pipe
and the atmospheric pressure in cm Hg?
b) If atmospheric pressure is 75 cm Hg, what is the air
pressure in the pipe in Pa?
[ρ=13600 kg m-3 , and gravitational acceleration, g=9.81 m s-2]

Example 3:
Fig. 3 shows a water manometer connected to a nitrogen cylinder.
The reading of a mercury barometer is 750 mm Hg.
a) Calculate the nitrogen pressure in pascal.
[ρ of Hg = 13600 kg m-3 , and gravitational acceleration, g = 9.81 m s-2]
b) Predict what happens to the water column in the manometer
when the valve of the nitrogen cylinder is opened. Explain
your answer.

Formative zone 2.3

1. A flask of compressed gas connected to water
manometer as in Figure 1.
a) State the difference between the gas pressure
and the atmospheric pressure in m H2O
b) Calculate the gas pressure in pascal.
[ ρ of water = 1000 kg m-3, g = 9.81 m s-2, and
atmospheric pressure = 10.3 m H2O]

2. State advantages of using a mercury manometer compared to a water manometer?

3. A mercury manometer is connected to a steel cylinder containing compressed gas. the pressure of
the compressed gas and atmospheric pressure are 195 kPa and 101 kPa respectively. Calculate the
difference in height between the two mercury columns in the manometer.
[ρ of Hg = 13600 kg m-3, and gravitational acceleration, g = 9.81 m s-2]

Prepared by Pn Zainab Idris