CAMBRIDGE CHECKPOINT SCIENCE

Chemistry
Unit 6: States of matter

6.5 Gas Pressure

Learning objectives
1. To explain what is meant by gas pressure
2. To explain the link between pressure, volume and temperature
Introduction
Which would be more painful?

Being trodden on Being trodden

by a 45kg woman on by a 3 tonne
wearing stiletto elephant?
heels?

The woman’s foot in the stiletto heel! The whole of the woman’s weight is
concentrated on a very small area, whereas the elephant’s weight is much more
spread out – it exerts less pressure!
Pressure
Pressure is the force per unit area.

This means that the pressure a solid object exerts on another solid surface is its
weight in newton divided by its area in square metres.

Pressure = Force Newton

area m2

SI unit: Pascal, Pa
Gas pressure
The particles in a gas move quickly in all directions, but they don't get far before
they bump into each other or the walls of their container.
When gas particles hit the walls
of their container they cause
pressure.

This is why the pressure in a tyre or balloon goes up when

more air is pumped in.
What is gas pressure?
How do objects that are filled with gas maintain their shape and pressure?
Pressure is caused by the particles of a gas hitting
the sides of its container, thereby keeping it
expanded

What would happen to the pressure if the gas was heated?

Gas pressure Example 1

Which of these is under greater pressure?

Gas pressure Example 2

Which of these is under greater pressure?

Gas pressure Example 3

Which of these is under greater pressure?

Gas pressure Example 4

When gas particles bump into something…

A …they cause pressure

B …they cause density

Gas pressure Example 5

Pressure is increased…

A …when less particles hit the side

B …when more particles hit the side

Gas pressure Example 6

When you blow up a balloon, it gets bigger because…

A …pressure increases inside

B …pressure decreases inside

Air pressure

Can you feel it?

Air pressure
Air pressure is the measure of the force with which air molecules push on a
surface.
Air pressure
As you move UP through the atmosphere, air pressure decreases.
Air pressure
Air pressure is dependent on density
• More dense air will have a higher air pressure- there are more air molecules
in a given space to push down on you
• Less dense air will have a lower air pressure- there are fewer air molecules to
push down on you.

More Dense = Less Dense =

more particles to push down on you fewer particles to push down on you
Air pressure

Air pressure in the atmosphere

acts in all directions.

Air pressure gets less as you rise

up through the atmosphere. The
atmosphere is denser at lower
levels.

At sea level, atmospheric

pressure is about 100 kPa
Air pressure Crushed can
experiment

Air removed
by vacuum
pump

Atmospheric
pressure
crushes the
can.
Pressure and volume
Classwork/ Homework
1. Cambridge Checkpoint Science Coursebook
Page 76 -77
Question 1 ,2,3, 4 & 5
Classwork/ Homework
Answers