Is Pressure Just Force Distributed Over an Area?

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SUMMARY

The discussion clarifies the concept of pressure as a scalar quantity derived from force distributed over an area, emphasizing that pressure can originate from distributed forces, such as atmospheric pressure and pressures in fluids. It highlights that while force is a vector with direction, pressure acts uniformly in all directions within a compressed fluid. The example of silly putty illustrates how applied force results in pressure that expands outward, confirming Pascal's principle.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics concepts, specifically force and pressure.
  • Familiarity with Pascal's principle and its applications.
  • Knowledge of fluid dynamics, particularly how gases and liquids exert pressure.
  • Basic comprehension of vector and scalar quantities in physics.
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore the applications of Pascal's principle in hydraulic systems.
  • Study the behavior of gases under pressure using the Ideal Gas Law.
  • Investigate the properties of fluids and their pressure distribution in various contexts.
  • Conduct experiments with non-Newtonian fluids to observe pressure effects.
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Students of physics, engineers working with fluid systems, and anyone interested in understanding the principles of pressure and force in real-world applications.

Maisara-WD
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Hi

(1) What does it mean to APPLY PRESSURE?? Don't we actually apply force that is interpreted into pressure by dividing it upon area of action? This question will clarify really the concept of Pascal's principle.

(2) HOW CAN IT BE A SCALAR QUANTITY ALTHOUGH FORCE IS A VECTOR ONE? HOW can we say it acts in all directions??!

PLEASE HELP PLEASE
 
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1.-

You can think of it that way, but there are "pressures" that do not come from concentrated forces...they are truly "distributed forces" from the beginning...atmospheric pressure, for example...and all pressures due to gases and liquids, for that matter...the pressure inside a tank, inside a balloon, in the pool...

2.-

The reason why a force is a vector is because is has direction. If I push you, that's one thing...if I pull you, that's another thing.

And yes, compressed fluids apply equal pressure in all directions...the individual components everywhere inside the fluid cancel out, but when they touch a surface the resultant happens to be the normal to the surface.

I suggest that you take sometime to play with, say, silly putty and observe why when you push in some spot, your "force" causes the putty to expand in all other directions, etc...
 

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