Examples of Pressure

Examples of Pressure:

1.It is difficult for us to walk on sand, because our feet sink into it. On the other hand a camel which is much heavier can easily walk on sand. This is because a camel has broad feet. The weight of the camel is spread over the large area covered by its feet. Thus, the pressure exerted by its body on the sand is less.

2.A school bag has wide strap made of thick cloth so that the weight of bag falls over a large area of the shoulder of the child. This produces less pressure on the shoulder and hence can carry heavy school bag more comfortable. If the school bag has thin straps, then the weight of school bag will fall over a small area of the shoulder. This will exert a large pressure and will become very painful for the child to carry the heavy school bag.

3.It is easier to walk on soft sand with-flat shoes rather thin shoe with sharp heels (or pencil heels). A flat shoe has a greater area in contact with the soft sand due to which there is less pressure on the soft ground that is why, flat shoes do not sink much in soft sand and it is walk on it. While, a sharp heel has a small area in contact with the soft sand and so exerts a greater pressure. So the sharp heels sink deep into soft sand and it is difficult for the wearer to walk on soft sand.

4. When a man walks on the ground the pressure on ground is more than when he is lifts his foot, the weight of man falls on a smaller area hence produce more pressure on the ground. On the other hand, when the man is standing, then both his feet are on the ground. Due to this the weight of the man falls on a larger area of the ground which exerts less pressure on the ground.

5. A woodpecker hammers at tree trunks with its beak which is sharp, pointed and longs. The force falls on the sail area at the tip of its beak. Hence, due to its large effect it can make a hole in the wood very fast.

6. It is easier to cut an apple from the sharper side than blunt because the sharer side has less area.

7. The tip of a sewing needle is made sharp, so as to put large pressure on a very small area of cloth. Similarly, a nail has a pointed tip, so that when it is hammered, the force of hammer falls on a very small area of wood or wall to create a large pressure which penetrates the nail into wood or wall easily.

8. The skies used by skiers are long and flat which reduce the pressure on the snow. This makes the skiers to slide over the snow easily and their feet do not sink in the ground.

9. The tyres of buses and trucks have broad and double wheels, so that the pressure on the tyres is reduced and they do not burst. The bigger the wheel, the less is the pressure on them, so that they can carry greater weight.

10. Porters wear turbans while carrying heavy loads on heads. By doing this pressure on their heads gets reduced due to the increase in area of contact.

11. An army tank weighing more than a thousand tonne rests upon a continuous chain. This chain is a wide steel belt provided over the wheels of the tank so that they exert less pressure on the ground and do not sink into it.

12. Wooden sleepers are kept below the railway lines so that there is less pressure of the train on the ground and railway lines may not sink into the ground.

13. The foundation of high rise buildings are kept very wide, so that the weight of the building produces less pressure on ground and the building may not sink into the ground.

Sample Questions

(More Questions for each concept available in Login)

Question : 1

Which of the following are correct : (a) Buildings are provided with broad foundations, so that the pressure exerted on the ground becomes less. (b) Buildings are provided with broad foundations, so that the pressure exerted on the ground becomes more. (c) Cutting tools have sharp edges to reduce the area, so that with lesser force, more pressure could exerted.
A. Only (a) and (b) are correct.		B. Only (a) and (c) are correct.
C. Only (b) and (c) are correct.		D. All of these.
Right Option : B
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Question : 2

Which of the following are correct : (a) The tractors have tyres, to creates more pressure on the ground, so that tyres sink into comparatively soft ground in the field. (b) The handles of bags, suitcases, etc. are made broad, so that more pressure is exerted on the hand. (c) Buildings are provided with broad foundations, so that the pressure exerted on the ground becomes more.
A. Only (a) and (b) are correct.		B. Only (b) and (c) are correct.
C. Only (a) and (c) are correct.		D. None of these.
Right Option : D
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Question : 3

The handles of bags, suitcases, etc. are made broad, so that __________________ pressure is exerted on the hand.
A. Less	B. More	C. No	D. None of these
Right Option : A
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