A fluid is any material that

can flow and that takes the shape

of its container. Fluids include
liquids and gases.
▣Pressure is equal to the
force applied to a surface,
divided by the area.
▣ In the image below, the force of the air particles
hitting the inner surface of the tire creates
pressure, which keeps the tire inflated.

▣ The more gas added the greater the pressure.

▣ Pressure = Force/surface area

•Pressure = Newtons (Kg x m/s.s)

side x side
• The SI unit for pressure is the pascal. One
pascal (1 Pa) is the force of one newton exerted
over an area of one square meter (1 N/m2).
• Pressure and Bubbles Soap
bubbles get rounder as they get
bigger because fluids exert
pressure evenly in all directions.

• Since air is a fluid, adding air to an

air bubble causes it to expand in all
directions at once.
▣ A substance that can easily change
its shape, such as liquids and gases.
•The molecules in a fluid have
a certain amount of force (mass
and acceleration F=ma) and
exert pressure on surfaces they
touch.
• The air inside this
balloon exerts
pressure that keeps
the balloon inflated
against atmospheric
pressure.
•All the molecules add
up together to make up
the force exerted by the
fluid.
• Variation of Atmospheric Pressure
The atmosphere stretches about 160 km
above the Earth’s surface, but about 80% of
the atmosphere’s gases are found within 10
km.
• At the top of the atmosphere, pressure is
almost nonexistent. Why?
• The further down through the atmosphere you
go, the greater the pressure is.
 Selected
Properties of
Earth’s
Atmosphere
•Air Pressure
decreases as
elevation
increases.
How is wind created?
 The sun heats the ocean waters causing
evaporation .
As warm moist air molecules rise, they cool, slow
down and condense.

The air becomes denser and is pulled down to

earth by gravity.

When this occurs it is considered a High Pressure.

•Air has a
mass of
1Kg/m³
•Gravity creates an air pressure
of 10.13N/m³ at sea level.
 The whole system
is a low pressure,
but it dramatically
decreases towards
Very Low the eye of the
pressure
hurricane.
Air always flows from an
area of high pressure to
an area of low pressure,
which creates the high
Higher Pressure
velocity winds.
▣ Water pressure
increases with depth.
•When a force is applied to a
confined fluid, the increase in
pressure is transmitted
equally to all parts of the
fluid.
▣ When force is applied to a confined fluid, the
change in pressure is transmitted equally to
all parts of the fluid.
▣ In a hydraulic device, a
force applied to one
piston increases the
fluid pressure equally
throughout the fluid.
▣ By changing the size of
the pistons, the force
can be multiplied.
▣ The hydraulic
brake system of a
car multiplies the
force exerted on
the brake pedal.
The tendency or
ability of an object
to float.
▣ The pressure on the
bottom of a
submerged object is
greater than the
pressure on the top.
The result is a net
force in the upward
direction.
Buoyant Force
The upward force exerted by a
fluid on a submerged or floating
object.
▣ The buoyant force works opposite the
weight of an object.
▣ The buoyant force on an object is an
upward force equal to the weight of the
fluid that the object takes the place of, or
displaces.
 Weight Versus Buoyant Force
• Sinking An object in a fluid will sink if its weight
is greater than the buoyant force.

• Floating An object will float only when the

buoyant force on the object is equal to the object’s
weight.

• Buoying Up When the buoyant force on an object

is greater than the object’s weight, the object is
buoyed up (pushed up) in water.
▣ Will an object sink or float? That depends on
whether the buoyant force is less than or equal to
the object’s weight.
• More Dense Than Air Ice floats on water because
it is less dense than water. Ice, like most
substances, is more dense than air. So, ice does
not float in air.

• Less Dense Than Air One substance that is less

dense than air is helium gas. A given volume of
helium displaces an equal volume of air that is
much heavier than itself. So, helium floats in air.
•Density and buoyancy:
An object that has a greater
density than the fluid it is in,
will sink. If its density is less
than the fluid it will float.
▣ A solid block of steel sinks in water. A steel ship
with the same mass floats on the surface.
▣ The secret of how a ship floats is in the shape
of the ship. Ships made of steel float because
their overall density is less than the density of
water.
• A submarine is a special kind of ship that can
travel both on the surface of the water and
underwater.

• Submarines have ballast tanks that can be

opened to allow sea water to flow in.

• As water is added, the submarine’s mass

increases, but its volume stays the same.
▣ Changes in density cause a submarine to
dive, rise, or float.
▣ Changes in density cause a submarine to
dive, rise, or float.
▣ Changes in density cause a submarine to
dive, rise, or float.
• Like a submarine, some
fish adjust their overall
density to stay at a
certain depth in the
water.

• Most bony fishes have

an organ called a swim
bladder which helps
them change volume.