Pressure at the surface of a fluid: Forces: Physics: GCSE (9:1)

• Fluid


  A liquid or a gas

  
• Pressure


  The force per unit area

  
• Pressure in fluids


  Causes a force that acts normal (at right angles) to any surface

  
• p = F/A


  The equation linking pressure, force (normal to a surface) and area

  
• p


  The symbol for pressure

  
• F


  The symbol for force

  
• A


  The symbol for area

  
• Pascals (Pa)


  The SI unit for pressure

  
• Newtons (N)


  The SI unit for force

  
• Square metres (m²)


  The SI unit for area

  
• Newtons per square metre (N/m²)


  A unit used for pressure that is equivalent to pascals (Pa)

  
• Newtons per square centimetre (N/cm²)


  A commonly used unit for pressure when area in measured in cm²
• How to increase pressure

  Increase the force or decrease the area
• How to decrease pressure

  Decrease the force or increase the area