There can be a major difference between force and pressure, even though both are physics entities. In order to understand the difference, we need to understand the definition and its application. Force is the push and pull action resulting in the change of motion and direction, whereas pressure is the physical force per unit area.
Difference Between Force and Pressure
Force is the effect caused by the interaction of two objects which tries to change the state of the object. The pressure is the force acting on an object in the perpendicular direction to the surface of the object which results in the spreading of force over a certain area. This could be similar to the difference between stress and pressure. Therefore, if force is applied over a large area, then pressure is said to be low and if the same force is applied to a small area, then the resulting pressure is said to be high.
| Difference Between Force and Pressure | |
| Force | Pressure |
| The push and pull action resulting in acceleration of the object | Force acting upon a certain area and acted upon something perpendicular to its surface |
| Its unit is Newton and is represented by N | Its unit is Pascal and is represented as Pa |
| The instrument to measure force is called a dynamometer | Instrument to measure pressure is called as a manometer |
| Force is a vector quantity which means it also has direction | The pressure is a scalar quantity which means it does not have direction |
| Force can be acted upon on the face, edges, side or vertices of the object | Pressure only acts on the surface or face of the object |
| The velocity of an object can be changed with the application of force in one direction | Pressure on the object won’t change the direction of the object. |
These were some difference between force and pressure. If you wish to find out more, download BYJU’S – The Learning App.
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