Question

A force of 10 N acts on the surface of the area $20c{m}^2$. What is the pressure exerted on the surface?

Answer 1

Step 1: Given data:

Force acting on the surface, $F=10N$

Area of surface, $A=20c{m}^2$$=20(\frac{1}{100}m\times \frac{1}{100}m)=20\times \frac{1}{10000}{m}^2=\frac{1}{500}{m}^2$

Pressure, $P=?$

Step 2: Calculation of pressure:

We know that pressure is the force acting per unit area, i.e., $P=F/A$

Therefore, $P={\frac{10}{1/500}N{m}^{-2}=5000N}^{}{m}^{-2}$

Hence the pressure exerted on the surface is $5000N{m}^{-2}$.