Pressure in liquids and gases

Question 1

What is pressure in liquids affected by, and why?

Answer 1

Pressure in a liquid increases with depth because the weight of the liquid above exerts force on the liquid below, so the deeper you go, the more particles there are above, which increases the force on the particles below.

Question 2

Why is is the wall of a dam stronger at the bottom than at the top?

Answer 2

As pressure increases with depth in water, the walls of dams needs to be stronger, wider, and thicker at the bottom to withstand the greater pressure.

Question 3

What does the word depth refer to?

Answer 3

Depth means the distance of something from the bottom to the top of it.

Question 4

Explain, in terms of molecular principles, which direction liquid pressure acts in.

Answer 4

Liquid pressure acts in all directions because all the liquid particles move randomly.

Question 5

What is the only thing that pressure of liquids depends on?

Answer 5

The only thing that liquid pressure depends on is depth but not on shape or volume of the container.