D.A.V.

PUBLIC SCHOOL, NERUL

CLASS: VIII (SCIENCE)
NOTES (2021-22)

CHAPTER-4 FORCE AND PRESSURE

TEXTBOOK QUESTION & ANSWERS

A. Fill in the blanks:
1. For a force to come into play, the two concerned bodies must interact with each other.
2. To draw water from a well, we have to pull the rope.
3. An unbalanced force, acting on a moving object, may change its shape/size and/or its speed.
4. In the game of cricket, the ‘bails’ fall when the ball strikes them. This is an example of a contact
force.
5. The force, responsible for raising our body hair, when we try to take off a synthetic (terylene or
polyester) shirt in dry weather conditions, is an electric force.
6. The atmospheric pressure decreases as we move towards higher altitudes.

B. State True or False:

1. The effect of force may change by changing the direction of the applied force. TRUE
2. A force has to be specified both in terms of its magnitude as well as its direction.
TRUE.
3. Frictional force is an example of a non-contact force. FALSE
4. A gas balloon moves up. The upward force acting on it is smaller than the force of gravity, i.e. (the
downward acting force). FALSE
5. We can reduce the pressure of a given force by increasing the area over which the force acts. TRUE
6. Inside a bottle filled with water, pressure is least at the bottom and the greatest at the surface of
water. FALSE

C. Tick the correct option.

1. When two forces, applied on an object, are equal and opposite, then these forces-
do not move the object but may cause a change in its shape.

2. The following are the names of some well-known forces

A. gravitational force
B. muscular force
C. magnetic force
D. frictional force
Out of these, the ‘contact forces’ are the forces labelled as- B and D.
3. Rohini is pushing a box towards the west direction with a force of magnitude.
To help her move the box faster in the same direction, her friend should-
pull the box in the west direction with a force of magnitude ‘F’.
 4. A container is filled with water as shown in the figure.

Which of the following statement is correct about the pressure of water in this container?
Pressure at C > Pressure at B > Pressure at A.

5. An empty metal bottle has to be placed on a table so that it exerts the maximum pressure on the
surface of table?

6.
For this, the bottle needs to be placed in the position(s) labelled as-
Position B

7. When we press the bulb of a dropper, with its nozzle kept under water, air in the dropper is seen
to escape in the form of bubbles. If we then release the pressure on the bulb, water gets filled in
the dropper is due to-
atmospheric pressure.

8. The length, breadth and height of a given rectangular box, are 100 cm, 50 cm, and 20 cm
respectively. This box is kept on ground in three different ways, one by one. Which of the
following is the correct statement about the pressure exerted, by this box, on the ground?
the pressure exerted is maximum when the ‘breadth’ and ‘height’ sides form the base.

D. Answer the following questions in brief.

Q1. In the following situation, identify the agent exerting the force. Also, state the effect of the force in
each case.
a) Squeezing a piece of lemon between the fingers to extract its juice.
b) A person diving into a swimming pool.
c) A labourer moving a loaded cart.
d) A car coming to rest once its engine is switched off.
e) An athlete making a high jump to clear a bar kept at a certain height.
Ans.
SITUATION AGENT EXERTING THE FORCE EFFECT OF FORCE

a Muscles of fingers Change in shape of lemon

b Muscles of whole body and Gravity Change in state of motion

c Muscles of his body Change in state of motion

Friction between the wheels and road Change in speed and state of
d motion
e Muscles of his body and Gravity Change in state of motion
Q2. An object experiences a net non-zero force. Is it possible for the object to move with a constant speed
along a straight line.
Ans. Yes.

Q3. Distinguish between:

a) Balanced and Unbalanced forces
b) Contact and Non-contact forces
Ans. a)

BALANCED FORCE UNBALANCED FORCE

1) A pair of forces that are equal in 1) A pair of unequal forces acting on an

magnitude but opposite in direction object are called unbalanced forces.
are called balanced forces.
2) The resultant net force is zero. 2) The resultant net force is non-zero.

b)

CONTACT FORCES NON-CONTACT FORCES

1) The forces which result when two 1) The forces which can cause their effects
interacting bodies are in direct even when two interacting bodies are
physical contact with each other are not in direct physical contact with each
called contact forces. other are called non-contact forces.
2) Muscular force, Frictional force, Air 2) Gravitational force, Magnetic force,
resistance etc. Electric force etc.

Q4. When we throw a ball upwards, what happens to its speed while it is going up? Give reason for your
answer.
Ans. When we throw a ball upwards, its speed decreases while it is going up.
This is because the ball, while going upward, experiences a non-contact force (Gravitational force).
Q5. The figure shows a man with a parachute.
a) Name the force which is responsible for his downward
motion. Is it a contact force or a non-contact force?
b) Will the man come down with the same speed without the
parachute? Explain.
Ans. a) Gravitational force is responsible for his downward
motion. It is a non-contact force.
Ans. b) No, the man will not come down with the same speed
without the parachute. This is because when he uses a parachute, he also experiences a contact force (air
resistance) due to which his speed slows down while coming down. But if he does not use a parachute, he
will only experience gravitational force and thus, comes down with greater speed.
Q6. How would the pressure (exerted by a force on an area) change if –
a) The area is doubled keeping the thrust constant?
b) Thrust is doubled keeping the area constant?
Ans. a) Pressure = Thrust / Surface area in contact
Pressure is inversely proportional to the area in contact. Therefore, when the area is doubled, the
pressure decreases to half.
b) Pressure is directly proportional to thrust. Therefore, when the thrust is doubled, the pressure also
gets doubled.

Q7. When will a diver ‘experience a greater pressure’ – 100 cm below the surface of water or 200 cm below
the surface of water? Justify your answer.
Ans. A diver will experience a greater pressure 200 cm below the surface of water.
This is because the liquid pressure increases with increasing depth inside the liquid.

E. Answer the following questions.

Q1. Define force. Is it necessary for the two bodies to be in direct contact for a force to exist between them?
Explain with examples.
Ans. Force is a push or pull which comes into play when there is an interaction of one object with another
object.
No, it is not necessary for the two bodies to be in direct contact for a force to exist between them. There are
forces which can cause their effects even when the two interacting bodies are not in direct physical contact
with each other. They are able to exert a push or pull despite their separation.
For example, Gravitational force, Magnetic force and Electric force.

Q2. State three effects of a force. Give suitable examples.

Ans. Effects of force are –
1) Change in state of rest or motion – Take a rubber ball and place it on a table top. Gently push the
ball, it starts to move.
 2) Change in speed of a moving object – Take a rubber ball, place it on a table top and push the ball
harder. Its speed increases. Now, push against the motion of the ball. Its speed decreases and it can
come to rest.
3) Change in direction of motion – Place a ball on the table top and push the ball in one direction.
Now, push the ball at an angle to the direction of motion of ball. This results in a change in direction
of motion.
4) Change in size/shape of an object – A potter makes pots of different sizes or shapes from kneaded
clay.

Q3. Give reasons for the following statements –

a) ‘Snow-shoes’ are more effective than ordinary shoes for walking on snow.
Ans. This is because snow-shoes have spikes. These sharp spikes provide less surface area in contact
with snow. Thus, applies more pressure and gives better grip on snow.

b) Porters place a large round piece of cloth on their heads when they carry heavy loads.
Ans. This is because a large round piece of cloth provides larger surface area between the head and the
load. As the surface area increases, the pressure decreases on head.

c) A sharp knife cuts vegetables and fruits more effectively than a blunt knife.
Ans. This is because the sharp side of the knife provides less surface area in contact with fruits and
vegetables. This increases pressure on them and thus, it becomes easier to cut them with a sharp knife.
d) School bags are provided with wide straps to carry them.
Ans. This is because wider straps of the school bags provide larger surface area in contact, thereby
decreasing the pressure on the shoulders.

e) It is much easier to burst an inflated balloon with a needle than (directly) with a finger.
Ans. When we prick the surface of an inflated balloon with a needle it exerts a larger pressure because
it has a smaller area of contact compared to the finger.

f) Mountaineers may suffer from nose bleeding at high altitudes.

Ans. Air pressure goes on decreasing as we go higher up. So at high altitudes, the atmospheric pressure
becomes less than the pressure exerted by the blood inside the body. This causes some of
the blood vessels burst and the nose starts bleeding.
g) Airplanes have pressurized cabins for passenger safety while flying high in the atmosphere.
 Ans. Airplanes are pressurized because the air is very thin at the altitude they fly. The
average passenger jet has a cruising altitude of about 30,000 to 40,000 feet. At this altitude humans can't
breathe well as our body gets less oxygen. Cabins are pressurized to create a safe and comfortable
environment for pilots, crew and passengers.

Q4. Two rods, ‘A’ and ‘B’, of the same weight and equal length, have different thicknesses. A boy, while
playing with them on a beach, held them vertically on the surface of sand as shown in the figure. Which one
of them will sink less? Explain.

ROD A ROD B
Ans. Rod B will sink less. This is because Rod B has more surface
area in contact and therefore, exerts less pressure on sand.

Q5. Three holes, A, B and C, are made in an empty can at different levels, one
over the other, as shown in the figure. They are (temporarily) closed with an
adhesive tape. The can is now filled with water. What will you observe when the C
tape (on all of them) is pulled out? Justify your answer.
B
Ans. We observe that the stream, from the lower holes travel a larger distance.
This is because the pressure of water increases with an increase in the depth of A
the hole. Hence the water pressure, at a point, increases with the height of water
column above it.
Q6. Make two tiny holes, of the same size, at equal heights from the bottom
in a plastic bottle. Cover them and fill the bottle with water. Let the covers
be now removed. State the observations and the resulting conclusions based
on this activity.
Ans. Observation: When tapes are removed, water is seen to emerge out
from both these holes with equal force.
A B
Conclusion: The liquid pressure is transmitted equally in all directions and
is same at a given horizontal level.

Q7. Discuss, in brief, the variation in atmospheric pressure with altitude. Do changes in temperature also
cause a change in atmospheric pressure?
Ans. As we move upwards through the atmosphere, the height of air column, above us, would decrease.
This would result in a decrease in air pressure at higher altitudes.
Air pressure also varies with temperature and time at a given place. At a hotter place, the warm air is lighter
than the cooler air in surrounding regions. Hence air can rush in from high pressure surrounding area to this
lower pressure area. This phenomenon can result in land breezes, sea breezes, winds and storms.

Q8. Write down the magnitude and direction of the net force in the following situations.
a) In tug of war, Team A is applying a force of 100 N along the east direction and Team B is applying
force of 200 N along the west direction.
Ans. Force applied by Team A (F₁) = 100 N
Force applied by Team B (F₂) = 200 N
Net force = F₂ - F₁ = 200 – 100 = 100 N
Direction of the net force is along the west (Direction of the greater force).

b) A boy is pushing a box with a force 100 N towards left by overcoming a force of friction that has a
magnitude of 50 N.
Ans. Force exerted by boy = 100 N (towards left)
Frictional force = 50 N (towards right) [Friction force is always opposite to the motion]
Net force = 100 – 50 = 50 N
Object will move towards left direction.