Question

The pressure exerted by a liquid on the walls of the container is called _________.

• A. Upthrust
• B. Atmospheric pressure
• C. Lateral pressure
• D. Surface tension

Answer 1

The correct option is C

Lateral pressure

1. Liquids also exert pressure (called lateral pressure) on the walls of the vessel in which they are stored.
2. The sideways pressure exerted by liquids also increases with the depth of the liquid. The sideways pressure of a liquid on the walls of a vessel is almost zero at its surface. As the depth of liquid increases, the sideways pressure on the walls of the vessel gradually increases and it becomes maximum near the bottom of the vessel.
3. The wall of a dam is made thicker at the bottom to tolerate very high sideways pressure exerted by deep water stored in the reservoir of the dam.

Hence, option (C) is correct.