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  1. Relate (without calculation) pressure to force and area.

Pressure is a measure of the amount of force applied on a surface, per unit area of that surface.

That means, for a fixed area, if you apply a huge amount of force, you’ll be applying a large pressure on that area. For that same area, if you apply a smaller force, the pressure will be smaller.

Similarly, for a fixed amount of force, if it’s spread out over a large surface area, the force per unit area is small, so the pressure is small. However, for that same force, if it’s concentrated on a small area, the force per unit area is larger, so the pressure is larger.

 

  1. Recall and use the equation P=F/A

As I previously explained, pressure is a measure of force per unit area. This can be written in equation form as:

P=F/A

Where P is pressure, F is force and A is area.

The unit for pressure is N/m2 or Pa (Pascals).

The unit for force is N (Newtons).

The unit for area is m2.

 

 

Notes submitted by Sarah.

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