Pressure in Solids.

Q1. The diagram shows a glass block resting on a tabletop. The area of the block in contact with the
table is X and the area of the tabletop is Y. The weight of the block is P, and the weight of the
table is Q. Which expression gives the pressure exerted on the table by the block?

1
Page
Q6. Which would be the least likely to sink into soft ground?

A a loaded lorry with four wheels B a loaded lorry with six wheels
C an empty lorry with four wheels D an empty lorry with six wheels

Q7.A block of weight 900 N has rectangular

faces. The diagram shows the lengths of the
sides.
The block can rest on any of its faces.

What is the minimum pressure that the block can exert on the ground when resting on one of its
faces?

A 900 Pa B 4500 Pa C 6000 Pa D 7500 Pa

Q8. A brick weighing 80 N stands upright on the ground as shown.

What is the pressure it exerts on the ground?

Q9- The densities of three solids are, aluminum 2700 kg/m3, concrete 2 200 kg/m3, wood 600
kg/m3, Blocks having identical dimensions are made of these three substances. The blocks stand
on a horizontal surface, as shown in Fig. 9.1.

Fig.9.1
(a) (i) Which block has the greatest mass? .........................................................................

How do you know this?

…………………………………………………………..........................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

(ii) Which block has the greatest weight? .......................................................................

(iii) Which block exerts the greatest pressure on the horizontal surface? ....................... [4]

(b) The wood block can be placed on the horizontal surface in any one of three ways, A, B
or C (see Fig. 9.2).

Fig. 9.2
In which position does the wood block exert the greatest pressure?................................

How do you know this?

.....................................................................................................................................................
....

...............................…………………………………………............................................................[2]
(c) A person spends some time relaxing on a sandy beach. He sits on a chair with four legs, as
shown in Fig. .9.3
 Fig.45.3
Unfortunately, the chair quickly sinks into the sand.
(i) Why does this happen?

........................................................................................................................................................

........................
…………………………………………………………………........................................
(ii) Suggest how the person might stop this happening.

.........................................................................................................................................................

.......................……………………………………………………………...........................................[3]
Q10. (a) For a special parade, the guest of honor is to sit on a chair whilst the parade passes
by. Unfortunately, the ground beneath the chair is soft, so the parade organizers put the
chair on a large flat board, as shown in Fig.10.1.

Fig. 10.1
Explain why the board prevents the chair from sinking into the ground.

...............................................................................................................................…………………

………………………………………............................................................................................ [2]
Q11- (a) Two horizontal strings are attached to a soft rubber ball, as shown in
Fig. 11.1.

Fig. 11.1
A force of 10 N pulls on one string.
(i) The ball does not move. What is the value of the force F on the other
string?

F
= ..............................N
(ii) What change to the rubber ball do the two forces cause?

...............................................................................................................................
.....................[2]
(b) A garden pot containing soil weighs 360 N. The pot rests on three equally paced blocks, so that
surplus water can drain out of the holes in the base. The soil is uniformly distributed in
the pot. The pot is shown in Fig.11.2.

Fig. 11.2
(i) What is the force exerted by each block on the pot? ...............N
(ii) State the direction of these forces.

……………………………..............................................................................................
...................
(iii) The gardener finds that the blocks sink into the ground, but he must have
the pot up on blocks to allow drainage. What can he do to reduce the sinking
of the pot?

………………………………...........................................................................................
............ [3]
Answers.
Q 1 A Q-2 C Q-3 C Q-4 B
Q-5 A Q-6 B Q-7 B Q-8
Q-9
Q-10
Q-11