LIGHT ACADEMY SECONDARY SCHOOL

PHYSICS SENIOR TWO PRESSURE

..CONTINUATION. 5 MAY 2020 th

MEASUREMENT OF ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

The atmospheric pressure is measured by using the following instruments
(i) Barometer (Mercury/water barometer)
(ii) Bourdon gauge
A simple Barometer
Barometer is an instrument used for measuring atmospheric pressure.
Types of Barometer
Barometers are named according to the type of liquid used in it. The common liquids used are water and
mercury. As a result of this we have:
(i) Water barometer - Not convenient to be used.
(ii) Mercury barometer - The most convenient to be used.
Mercury barometer
Mercury is 13.6 times as heavy as water, and the column of mercury sustained by normal atmospheric
pressure is only about 760 mm (0.76) m high.
It is more convenient to use mercury barometer than water barometer which sustains extremely high
column of water.
An ordinary mercury barometer consists of:
 A glass tube about 840 mm (0.84 m) high, closed at one end.
 A glass beaker or glass trough and
 A pool of mercury.
Measurement of atmospheric pressure.

 A tube is filled with mercury.

 The open end is closed with a finger and inverted into a dish filled with mercury.
 The finger is removed when the open end is under mercury in a ditch.
 The closed end is warmed to drive out any air trapped.
 After, the mercury level in the tube falls leaving a vacuum space above.
 The vacuum space is called Torricellian vacuum which contains mercury vapour.

Prepared by Lugonvu Geofrey.

Note:

 The height of the mercury in the glass tube above the level of mercury dish is Barometric height.
 The height of 760mmHg is taken to be the measure of atmospheric pressure.
 When the tube is tilted, the height of mercury remains same but the length of mercury increases.
 At one position, the mercury fills the tube showing that the space above mercury is vacuum.

Why is water not used as a barometric liquid?

 Mercury is a heavy known liquid.
 Water evaporates easily.
 Gases can easily dissolve in water.
 Water gives a very high barometric height because of its low density.
Measurement of gas pressure.
 Pressure in gases is measured by a manometer.
 The manometer may contain water, mercury or any other liquid depends on magnitude of
pressure to be measured.
 It can also be used to measure air pressure and it is as shown below.

 A manometer consists of a U-tube or J- tube filled with a liquid (Mercury or water) depending on
how much is to be measured.
 When manometer is connected to gas tap and gas is turned on, the gas exerts pressure on
surface C causing A to rise until the pressure at C equal to pressure at B.
 𝐺𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 = 𝐴𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 + 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛 𝐵𝐶
= 𝐻 + 𝜌ℎ𝑔
Note.
 If gas pressure is less than atmospheric pressure, the level B in the left arm will be lower than
level A.

Prepared by Lugonvu Geofrey.

Examples.
1. The figure below shows a U-tube manometer used to measure gas pressure.

The manometer contains mercury so the atmospheric pressure is 76𝑐𝑚𝐻𝑔. Calculate the gas pressure in
(i) 𝑐𝑚𝐻𝑔
(ii) 𝑁𝑚−2.
Solution.
(i) 𝐺𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 = 𝐻 + ℎ
= 76 + 54.4
= 130.4𝑐𝑚𝐻𝑔
(ii) 𝐺𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 = (𝐻 + ℎ)𝜌𝑔
130.4
= ( 100 ) × 13600 × 10
= 177344𝑁𝑚−2
2.

(a) A fixed mass of dry air is trapped in bulb A. If the atmospheric pressure is 76cm of mercury.
Calculate the total pressure of the air in A, in:
(i) mmHg
(ii) Pa (𝐴𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 = 101325𝑃𝑎, 𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑦 = 1.36 × 104 𝑘𝑔𝑚−3,
𝑔 = 10𝑚𝑠 −2)
Solution:
𝐴𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 = 76𝑐𝑚𝐻𝑔 = 76 × 10 = 760𝑚𝑚𝐻𝑔
ℎ1 = 38𝑐𝑚 = 38 × 10 = 380𝑚𝑚
ℎ2 = 68𝑐𝑚 = 68 × 10 = 680𝑚𝑚
(i) 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛, ℎ = ℎ2 − ℎ1

Prepared by Lugonvu Geofrey.

 = 680 − 380 = 300𝑚𝑚𝐻𝑔
𝐺𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 = 𝐴𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 + 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛
= 760 + 300
= 1060𝑚𝑚𝐻𝑔
(ii) 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛 = 𝜌ℎ𝑔
300
= × 13600 × 10
1000
= 40800𝑃𝑎
𝐺𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 = 𝐴𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 + 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛
= 101325 + 40800
= 142125𝑃𝑎
3. (a) Figure below shows a gas trapped by a mercury column in a J-tube. If the atmospheric pressure is
1.0 × 105 𝑃𝑎, and the density of mercury is = 1.36 × 104 𝑘𝑔𝑚−3 , find the pressure at which the gas is.
(𝑔 = 10𝑚𝑠 −2 )

(b) What would happen if the closed end of the J-tube was opened?
(c) Would it have been better to use water instead of mercury in the J-tube? Give a reason for your
answer.
Solution.
𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑦 = 1.36 × 104 𝑘𝑔𝑚−3,

𝑔 = 10𝑚𝑠 −2
𝑀𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛 = 25𝑐𝑚 = 0.25𝑚

𝐴𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 = 1.0 × 105 𝑃𝑎

(a) 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛 = 𝜌ℎ𝑔
= 0.25 × 13600 × 10
= 34000𝑃𝑎
𝐺𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 = 𝐴𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 + 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛
= 100000 + 34000
= 134000𝑃𝑎
(b)
 The gas trapped would escape. This would reduce the pressure inside the J tube.
 The mercury column on the right arm would fall while the one on the left arm would rise until
the two levels become the same level.

(c) No.

Reason: Water is less dense than mercury. Therefore, to balance the same pressure, it would require a
large volume of water which in turn would need a manometer with a very long arm to hold the higher
water column.

Prepared by Lugonvu Geofrey.

HARE’S APPARATUS
If two liquids are poured in a U-tube, they settle as shown below.

𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝐴 = 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝐵
𝐻 + ℎ1 𝜌1 𝑔 = 𝐻 + ℎ2 𝜌2 𝑔
ℎ1 𝜌1 = ℎ2 𝜌2
ℎ1 𝜌2
=
ℎ2 𝜌1
Determination of Relative Density of liquids that are Miscible with water

The Relative density of a liquid that is miscible with water is determined by balancing a column of small
volume of the liquid with water on mercury surface in a manometer until the mercury levels in the two
limbs of the manometer are at the same level as shown above.
𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑
ℎ𝑊 𝜌𝑊 𝑔 = ℎ𝐿 𝜌𝐿 𝑔
ℎ𝑊 𝜌𝑊 = ℎ𝐿 𝜌𝐿
𝜌𝐿 ℎ𝑊
=
𝜌𝑊 ℎ𝐿
𝜌𝐿
𝐵𝑢𝑡 = 𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦
𝜌𝑊
ℎ𝑊
𝐴𝑙𝑠𝑜, 𝑅. 𝐷 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 =
ℎ𝐿
𝐻𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛
∴ 𝑅. 𝐷 =
𝐻𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛

Prepared by Lugonvu Geofrey.

Examples.
1. The figure below shows a U-tube containing water and liquid X. Find the density of liquid X if the
density of water is 1000𝑘𝑔𝑚−3 .

Solution.

ℎ𝑊 𝜌𝑊 = ℎ𝑋 𝜌𝑋
40 80
× 1000 = × 𝜌𝑋
100 100
𝜌𝑋 = 465.116𝑘𝑔𝑚−3
2. An open U-tube contains columns of water and kerosene over mercury as shown in the figure below.
Calculate the relative density of kerosene.

Solution:

𝐻𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛

𝑅. 𝐷 =
𝐻𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛
8
= 10 = 0.8

3. The figure below shows a manometer containing mercury that has a density of 1.362 × 104 𝑘𝑔𝑚−3. It
is connected to a gas supply. What is the pressure of the gas supply?

Prepared by Lugonvu Geofrey.

Solution.
𝐺𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 = 𝐴𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 + 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛
= 76 + 14
= 90𝑐𝑚𝐻𝑔
𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛 = 𝜌ℎ𝑔
90
= × (1.362 × 104 ) × 10
100
= 122,580𝑃𝑎
4. The U-tube in the figure below contains water and oil of densities 1000𝑘𝑔𝑚−3 and 600𝑘𝑔𝑚−3
respectively. Calculate the height of oil column CD.

Solution.
ℎ𝑊 𝜌𝑊 = ℎ𝑜 𝜌𝑜
(25 − 10)
× 1000 = ℎ𝑜 × 600
100
ℎ𝑜 = 0.25𝑚

Exercise.

1. 1987, P.1 Q 5

The figure shows a simple barometer. The height of the mercury column is 76cm. When the tube is
slightly tilted, the height of the mercury column will

A. be slightly higher than 76cm B. be lower than 76cm

C. not change D. oscillate about 76cm

2. 1990, P.1 Q 17. If a mercury barometer reads 760mm of mercury, what is the atmospheric pressure in
Nm-2 (The density of mercury is 1.36x104kgm-3)

A. 1.03x104Nm-2 B. 1.36x104Nm-2 C. 1.03x105Nm-2 D. 1.36x105Nm-2

Prepared by Lugonvu Geofrey.

3. 1991, P.1 Q 3.

The diagram above shows air trapped by a column of mercury in a J-tube. The atmospheric pressure is
76cmHg. At what pressure is the enclosed air.

A. 10cmHg B. 66cmHg C. 76cmHg D. 142cmHg

4. 1994, P.1 Q 33.

(a).The above figure shows a gas trapped by a mercury column in a J-tube. If the atmospheric pressure is
1.0 x 105 Nm-2 and the density of mercury is 1.36x104kg m-3, find the pressure at which the gas is.

(b) What would happen if the closed end of the J-tube was opened?

(c) Would it have been better to use water instead of mercury in the J-tube? Give a reason for your
answer.
5. 1997, P.1 Q 12.

The diagram in the figure above shows a mercury barometer. What is the value of the atmospheric
pressure?
A. 74cm B. 76cm C. 77cm D. 79cm
6. 2000, P.1 Q 8.
An air bubble is introduced at the bottom of a jar containing mercury. Which one of the following
explains what will happen to the bubble?

A. It will be pressed by the mercury column and burst.

Prepared by Lugonvu Geofrey.

B. It will rise to the surface while decreasing in size.

C. It will rise to the surface while increasing in size.

D. Nothing will happen to the bubble.

7. 2001, P.1 Q 8.
Which one of the following is true about a manometer?

(i) It uses mercury because mercury is a good conductor of heat.

(ii) It is used for measuring gas pressures.

(iii) The maximum height of mercury it can support is 760mm.

A. (i) and (ii) only B. (i) and (iii) only C. (ii) only D. (ii) and (iii) only.

8. 2003, P.1 Q 43.

(b) The diagram in figure 8 below shows an instrument used for measuring gas pressure in a laboratory.

Find the pressure in Nm-2 of the gas if atmospheric pressure is 76cm Hg [density of mercury
=13.6x103kgm-3]

9. 2014, P.1 Q 18. Figure below shows a U-tube containing mercury, a column of water of density
1000 kgm-3 and a column of paraffin of density 800 kgm-3. Find the length of the water column
if the length of the paraffin column is 15cm.

A. 12.00cm B. 18.75cm C. 1.25 cm D. 0.80cm

10. 2018, P.1 Q 8. Which one of the following liquids is more suitable for making a simple
barometer?
A. Ether B. Water. Alcohol. D. Mercury.

Prepared by Lugonvu Geofrey.

11. 1993, P.2 Q 1.

An open U-tube contains columns of water and kerosene over mercury as shown in the above
figure. Calculate the density of kerosene.

12. 2000, P.2 Q 2. (b) (i) Describe how a simple mercury barometer can be set up to
measure the atmospheric pressure.
END

Prepared by Lugonvu Geofrey.