CBSENEETJEEClass 11

What is pressure?

Answer

Pressure is the force acting perpendicularly per unit area of a surface, given by pressure = force ÷ area, with SI unit pascal (Pa).

The working

Definition

Pressure measures how concentrated a force is over the area on which it acts. Only the component of force normal to the surface contributes.

Formula

Pressure (P) = force (F) ÷ area (A). For the same force, a smaller area gives a larger pressure.

Units

The SI unit is the pascal, where 1 Pa = 1 N/m². It is a scalar quantity.

Everyday example

A sharp knife cuts easily because its thin edge has a very small area, producing high pressure from a modest force.

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