Density

 Density is defined as the mass per unit volume of a substance:

 The symbol used here for density, ρ, is the Greek letter rho.
 The standard unit for density in the SI system is kg m−3, but you may also find values quoted in g cm−3. It is useful
to remember that these units are related by:
1000 kg m−3 = 1 g cm−3
 1000 kg m−3 = 1 g cm−3

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Note: The volume of an object may not always be given directly, but can be calculated with the appropriate equation
depending on the objectʼs shape.

 Practice Question:

1. A cube of copper has a mass of 240 g. Each side of the cube is 3.0 cm long. Calculate the density of
copper in g cm−3 and in kg m−3.

2. The density of steel is 7850 kg m−3. Calculate the mass of a steel sphere of radius 0.15 m.

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3. A paving slab has a mass of 73 kg and dimensions 40 mm × 500 mm × 850 mm. Calculate the density, in
kg m-3 of the material from which the paving slab is made.

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 Pressure
 It is defined as the force per unit area.
 Pressure tells us how concentrated a force is.
 The units of pressure depend on the units of area:
o If the area is measured in cm (and the force in N), then the pressure will be in N/cm2.
o If the area is measured in m (and the force in N), then the pressure will be in N/m2.
o Pressure can also be measured in pascals, Pa where 1 Pa is the same as 1 N/m2
o Pressure, unlike force, is a scalar. Therefore pressure does not have a specific direction.

 This equation tells us:

o If a force is spread over a large area it will result in a small pressure
o If it is spread over a small area it will result in a large pressure

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Numerical Problem:

1. A chair stands on four feet, each of area 10 cm2. The chair weighs 80 N. Calculate the pressure it exerts on the
floor.

2. Estimate the pressure you exert on the floor when you stand on both feet. (You could draw a rough rectangle
around both your feet placed together to find the area in contact with the floor. You will also need to calculate
your weight from your mass.)

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 Pressure in a fluid
 The pressure in a fluid (a liquid or gas) increases with depth.

 The atmospheric pressure we experience on the surface of the Earth is due to the weight of the atmosphere
above us, pressing downwards on the surface of the Earth or at right angles to every surface of our bodies.
o Pilots know this – the higher they fly, the lower is the pressure of the atmosphere
o Divers know this – the further they dive down, the greater the water pressure acting on them. The
pressure acts at right angles to every part of their body and acts to crush them.

 The pressure in a fluid depends on three factors:

o the depth h below the surface
o the density ρ of the fluid
o the acceleration due to gravity, g.

Derivation:
Consider a cubical container having area A, filled with the liquid of density ρ to the height h.
Pressure at the bottom of the container is due to the force acting at the bottom area A.
The force at the bottom is due to the weight of water above it, pressing downward.

o Volume of water above the area = Ah

o Mass of water= ρV = ρAh
o Force = weight of water = mg = ρAhg
o Change in pressure = Force / Area = ρAhg/A = ρhg
o 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 = 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 𝑚𝑔= ρVg = ρAhg

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 o When asked about the total pressure remember to also add the atmospheric pressure
Total pressure = Hydrostatic pressure + Atmospheric pressure
o Atmospheric pressure (also known as barometric pressure) is 101 325 Pa

Worked Example
1. Atmospheric pressure at sea level has a value of 100 kPa. The density of sea water is 1020 kg m .At what depth
in the sea would the total pressure be 250 kPa?

A. 20 m B. 9.5 m C. 18 m D. 15 m

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In Figure 1: The level of liquid is equal because the atmospheric pressure (P) is the same.
In Figure 2: If the pressure on one side rises, the liquid will be forced down making the liquid in the other limb rise. The
difference between the two levels gives the pressure difference between the two ends of the tube.
In Figure 3: The U-tube now has two different liquids. The density of the blue one is larger than that of the orange one.
The pressure at each point is due to the atmospheric pressure plus the weight of the liquid above it.

2. Figure shows a manometer used to measure the pressure of a gas supply. Calculate the pressure difference
between the gas inside the pipe and atmospheric pressure.

Step 1: Determine the difference in height h of the water on the two

sides of the manometer
h = 60 − 30 = 30 cm

Step 2: Because the level of water on the side of the tube next to the gas
pipe is lower than on the side open to the atmosphere, the pressure in
the gas pipe is above atmospheric pressure.

pressure difference = ρ × g × h = 1000 × 9.81 × 0.30 = 2940 Pa

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3. Calculate the pressure due to the water on the bottom of a swimming pool if the depth of water in the pool
varies between 0.8 m and 2.4 m.
(Density of water = 1000 kg m−3.)
If atmospheric pressure is 1.01 × 10 5 Pa, calculate the maximum total pressure at the bottom of the swimming
pool.

4. Estimate the height of the atmosphere if atmospheric density at the Earth’s surface is 1.29 kg m−3.
(Atmospheric pressure = 101 kPa.)

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Upthrust:

o Recall that hydrostatic pressure depends on the height (h) or depth that an object is submerged in from
P = ρgh, therefore, the water pressure at the bottom of an object is greater than the water pressure at the
top.

o Also known as buoyancy force, upthrust is due to the difference in hydrostatic pressure at the top and
bottom of the immersed object.

o Upthrust is a force and is directly proportional to the pressure. The force on the bottom of the can will be
greater than the force on top of the can. This resultant pressure causes a resultant upward force on the can
known as upthrust.

o Upthrust is a force which pushes upwards on an object submerged in a fluid i.e. liquids and gases.

o Upthrust is why objects appear to weigh less when immersed in a liquid.

 If the upthrust is greater than the weight of the object, the object will rise up
 For an object to float, it must have a density less than the density of the fluid it is immersed in.

o The force of upthrust is significantly larger in liquids than in gases, this is because liquids are much denser
than gases.

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 Archimedes' Principle
 Archimedes’ principle states that the upthrust acting on a body is equal to the weight of the liquid or gas that it
displaces.
 The object sinks until the weight of the fluid displaced is equal to its own weight i.e. the object floats when the
magnitude of the upthrust equals the weight of the object.

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