Question

A force of $20\mathrm{N}$ acts on an area of $20{\mathrm{cm}}^2$. Calculate the pressure exerted.

Answer 1

Step 1 - Given data

Force acting on the area is $\mathrm{F}=20\mathrm{N}$

Area of the surface is $\mathrm{A}=20{\mathrm{cm}}^2=20\mathrm{x}{10}^{-4}{\mathrm{m}}^2$

Step 2 - Formulae used

Pressure is defined as the force acting on a unit area.

$$\begin{gathered} \mathrm{Pressure}=\frac{\mathrm{Force}}{\mathrm{Area}} \\ \mathrm{P}=\frac{\mathrm{F}}{\mathrm{A}} \\ \mathrm{Where}\mathrm{P}\mathrm{is}\mathrm{the}\mathrm{pressure} \end{gathered}$$

Step 3 - Calculation

Substituting the known values,

$$\begin{gathered} \mathrm{P}=\frac{\mathrm{F}}{\mathrm{A}} \\ \mathrm{P}=\frac{20\mathrm{N}}{20\mathrm{x}{10}^{-4}{\mathrm{m}}^2} \\ \mathrm{P}=10000{\mathrm{Nm}}^{-2}=10000\mathrm{Pa} \end{gathered}$$

Hence, the pressure exerted is $10000{\mathrm{Nm}}^{-2}.$