Wind and Air: Pressure Makes a Push

Use pressure differences and area to calculate a net force.

All worksheets

5 questions0m 0s

Learn the skill

Pressure is force per unit area: p = F/A. For uniform pressures on opposite sides of a flat panel, net force magnitude is the pressure difference times area. The direction is from the higher-pressure side toward the lower-pressure side.

Worked example

A panel has 500 Pa on the left, 300 Pa on the right and area 0.1 m^2. Net force = (500 - 300) x 0.1 = 20 N to the right. One pascal is one newton per square meter.

A flat panel of area 0.1 square meters has 500 pascals on its left and 300 pascals on its right. The pressure difference is 200 pascals, giving a net force of 20 newtons to the right.

Would you believe it?

Invisible air presses on surfaces in many directions, not only downward. A difference in pressure on opposite sides of a surface can produce a net push.

NASA: air pressure

Question 1 What is the pressure difference in the example? 200 Pa 800 Pa 20 Pa

Question 2 What is the net force on the example panel? 200 N 500 N 20 N

Question 3 Which way is the net force? There is no force difference To the right To the left

Question 4 Both sides now have 500 Pa. What is the net pressure force? 0 N 500 N 1000 N

Question 5 At fixed pressure difference, doubling panel area does what? Halves net force Leaves net force unchanged Doubles net force

Review your work

0correct

Complete the questions to review each answer.

View dashboard