Force and pressure worksheet
Show your working for calculations. Give force in newtons, area in square metres, and pressure in pascals.
Name ________________________Date ______________
Worked example · One load, two contact areas
A 60 N crate rests on one of two faces. Which face puts more pressure on the floor?
| Face | Contact area | Pressure |
|---|---|---|
| Wide face | 0.12 m² | 60 ÷ 0.12 = 500 Pa |
| Narrow face | 0.04 m² | 60 ÷ 0.04 = 1,500 Pa |
Use pressure = force ÷ contact area. The weight stays at 60 N whichever face touches the floor.
The smaller face gives three times the pressure. Turning the crate changes the contact area.
Practice questions
Practice
- A force of 18 N acts evenly on 3 m². Calculate the pressure.
- A board experiences 14 Pa of pressure over 2 m². Find the force.
- A force of 90 N produces 300 Pa. What area does it act over?
- A girl pushes a trolley. Gravity also pulls on the trolley. Identify the contact force and the non-contact force.
Apply
- A 48 N block can rest on a face of 0.06 m² or 0.015 m². Calculate both pressures and say how many times larger one is.
- A bag pulls down with 72 N. Compare a strap touching 0.012 m² of shoulder with one touching 0.024 m². Which feels less concentrated?
- A 160 N stool stands evenly on four feet. Each foot has a contact area of 0.002 m². Find the pressure under one foot.
- A 50 N box rests on a 0.10 m² tray. Another 25 N box is placed on top. Find the pressure on the tray before and after stacking.
Challenge
- A 360 N equipment stand must keep pressure at or below 1,200 Pa. Find the minimum total contact area. If there are four equal feet, what area must each foot have?
- Package A weighs 120 N and touches 0.04 m². Package B weighs 180 N and touches 0.06 m². Which produces more pressure? Explain.
- A block stands on soft clay. Its weight is doubled and its contact area is halved. By what factor does the pressure change?
- Two holes of the same size are made in the side of a bottle, one near the top and one near the bottom. With water above both holes, which hole initially gives the faster stream? Explain.