UNIT: 8 FORCE AND PRESSURE
SLO (Q/ANS):
Topic 1: Force and Pressure
Q1. What is force? Give two examples.
Ans: Force is a push or pull that can change the motion or shape of an object.
Examples:
1. Kicking a football.
2. Lifting a bag.
Q2. What is pressure?
Ans: Pressure is the force acting per unit area on a surface.
Q3. State the relationship between force and pressure.
Ans: Pressure increases when the force increases or the area decreases.
Q4. Why does a pin easily go into a wall when pushed with its pointed end?
Ans: Because the pointed end has a very small area, which increases the pressure and
allows it to pierce the wall easily.
Q5. Why does a balloon burst when pricked with a pin?
Ans: When a pin pricks the balloon, the small pointed area applies a large pressure on the
rubber surface, making it tear and causing the balloon to burst.
Q6. Write the formula and SI unit of pressure.
Ans:
Pressure= Force /Area
SI unit = Pascal (Pa) = 1 N/m².
Topic 2: Multiple Forces
Q1. What happens when more than one force acts on a body?
Ans: The combined effect of all the forces is called the resultant force, which decides the
motion of the object.
Q2. What is resultant force?
Ans: It is a single force that has the same effect as two or more forces acting together on an
object.
Q3. What happens when two equal forces act in the same direction?
Ans: The resultant force is the sum of both forces and the object moves in that direction.
Q4. What happens when two equal forces act in opposite directions?
Ans: They cancel each other, and the object remains at rest.
Q5. Why does a book resting on a table not move?
Ans: Because the downward force of gravity is balanced by the upward reaction force from
the table.
Topic 3: Balanced and Unbalanced Forces
Q1. Define balanced forces.
Ans: Balanced forces are equal in size and opposite in direction; they do not cause a change
in motion.
Q2. Define unbalanced forces.
Ans: When forces on an object are unequal, they cause a change in its speed or direction.
Q3. Give one example each of balanced and unbalanced forces.
Ans:
● Balanced: A book lying still on a table.
● Unbalanced: A football that starts rolling when kicked.
Q4. What happens when forces on a body are unbalanced?
Ans: The object moves or changes direction.
Q5. When is an object in equilibrium?
Ans: When the net force acting on it is zero.
Topic 4: Net Force
Q1. What is net force?
Ans: Net force is the overall force acting on an object after combining all the individual
forces.
Q2. How do you find the net force if two forces act in the same direction?
Ans: Add their magnitudes.
Example: 6 N + 4 N = 10 N.
Q3. How do you find the net force if two forces act in opposite directions?
Ans: Subtract the smaller force from the larger one.
Example: 12 N right − 8 N left = 4 N right.
Q4. What happens when net force = 0?
Ans: The object stays at rest or moves with constant speed.
Q5. What happens when net force ≠ 0?
Ans: The object accelerates, slows down, or changes direction.
Topic 5: Friction
Q1. What is friction?
Ans: Friction is the force that opposes motion between two surfaces in contact.
Q2. What causes friction?
Ans: The microscopic roughness of surfaces causes friction.
Q3. State one advantage and one disadvantage of friction.
Ans:
● Advantage: Helps us walk without slipping.
● Disadvantage: Causes wear and tear in machines.
Q4. How can friction be reduced?
Ans: By using lubricants, smooth surfaces, or wheels and ball bearings.
Q5. Why do car tyres have grooves?
Ans: Grooves increase friction with the road and prevent skidding.
Topic 6: Pressure and Unit of Pressure
Q1. What is the SI unit of pressure?
Ans: Pascal (Pa).
Q2. A force of 100 N acts on an area of 5 m². Find the pressure.
Ans:
Pressure = 100 ÷ 5 = 20 Pa.
Q3. Name the instrument used to measure liquid pressure.
Ans: Manometer.
Q4. Why does a camel walk easily on sand?
Ans: Its wide feet spread weight over a larger area, reducing pressure.
Q5. What is meant by 1 Pascal?
Ans: Pressure exerted when a force of 1 newton acts on an area of 1 m².
Topic 7: International System of Units (SI)
Q1. What is the International System of Units (SI)?
Ans: It is a globally accepted standard system of measurement used in science and daily
life.
Q2. What is the SI unit of force?
Ans: Newton (N).
Q3. What is the SI unit of pressure?
Ans: Pascal (Pa).
Q4. What is the SI unit of mass?
Ans: Kilogram (kg).
Q5. Why are SI units important?
Ans: They allow scientists and engineers worldwide to compare and share data easily and
accurately.
Topic 8: Pressure in Liquids
Q1. How does liquid pressure vary with depth?
Ans: Pressure increases with increasing depth.
Q2. Why are dams thicker at the bottom?
Ans: To resist the greater pressure of deeper water.
Q3. In which direction does liquid pressure act?
Ans: Equally in all directions.
Q4. How does liquid density affect pressure?
Ans: Denser liquids exert more pressure at the same depth.
Q5. Describe an experiment to show pressure increases with depth.
Ans: Water from holes in a bottle flows farther from the lower holes, showing greater
pressure at depth.
Topic 9: Atmospheric Pressure
Q1. What is atmospheric pressure?
Ans: The pressure exerted by the weight of the air around the Earth.
Q2. How does a straw work?
Ans: When air is sucked out, atmospheric pressure pushes the liquid up the straw.
Q3. What is the normal atmospheric pressure at sea level?
Ans: About 1.013 × 10⁵ N/m².
Q4. Why don’t we feel atmospheric pressure on our bodies?
Ans: The air inside our bodies balances the external pressure.
Q5. Name the instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure.
Ans: Barometer.
Topic 10: Layers of the Atmosphere and Pressure
Q1. Name the main layers of the atmosphere.
Ans:
1. Troposphere
2. Stratosphere
3. Mesosphere
4. Thermosphere
5. Exosphere
Q2. In which layer do we live and weather occurs?
Ans: Troposphere.
Q3. How does air pressure change with height?
Ans: Air pressure decreases as we go higher above the Earth's surface.
Q4. Why does air pressure decrease with altitude?
Ans: Because the density of air decreases with height — there are fewer air molecules
pressing downward.
Q5. Why do mountain climbers find it hard to breathe at high altitudes?
Ans: Because the air pressure and oxygen concentration are lower at greater heights.
Topic 11: Buoyancy
Q1. What is buoyancy?
Ans: The upward force exerted by a fluid on an object immersed in it.
Q2. On what does buoyant force depend?
Ans: On the volume and density of the displaced fluid.
Q3. Why does wood float and iron sink?
Ans: Wood is less dense than water, while iron is denser.
Q4. In which direction does buoyant force act?
Ans: Upward, opposite to gravity.
Topic 12: Hydraulic Elevator
Q1. What principle does a hydraulic elevator work on?
Ans: Pascal’s Law.
Q2. State Pascal’s Law.
Ans: Pressure applied to a confined fluid is transmitted equally in all directions.
Q3. Why can a small force lift a heavy load in a hydraulic lift?
Ans: Because equal pressure on a larger area produces greater force.
Q4. Why is oil used instead of air in hydraulic machines?
Ans: Oil is incompressible and transmits pressure effectively.
Q5. Give one example of a hydraulic machine.
Ans: Hydraulic brakes or car lifts.
Topic 13: Rocket
Q1. How does a rocket move upward?
Ans: Expelled gases push downward, and the rocket moves upward due to an equal and
opposite reaction.
Q2. Which law explains rocket motion?
Ans: Newton’s Third Law of Motion.
Q3. Why can rockets move in space?
Ans: Because they carry their own fuel and push against the expelled gases, not against air.
Q4. What are action and reaction forces in a rocket?
Ans:
● Action: Gases pushed downward.
● Reaction: Rocket pushed upward.
Q5. Give one use of rockets.
Ans: Launching satellites and space exploration.
Here are the 5 solved numerical questions for Grade 8 General Science on Force,
Pressure, Area, and Net Force — written clearly for worksheet or class
Solve the Numericals:
Q1. Pressure Calculation
Question:
A force of 50 N acts on an area of 5 m². Find the pressure applied on the surface.
Q2. Force Calculation
Question:
A block exerts a pressure of 200 Pa on the ground. If the area of contact is 2 m², find the
force applied.
Q3. Pressure in a Hydraulic System
Question:
A hydraulic press exerts a force of 400 N on a piston of area 0.2 m². Calculate the pressure
transmitted by the fluid.
Q4. Tire Pressure
Question:
A car tire touches the ground over an area of 0.04 m² and supports a weight of 1000 N. Find
the pressure on the ground due to the tire.
Q5. Net Force
Question:
Two people push a box in the same direction with forces of 30 N and 20 N respectively, while
another person pushes in the opposite direction with 10 N. Find the net force acting on the
box and state what happens to it.