Simplify the Question
When reading a problem, it is important not to be confused by unnecessary information. It helps to rephrase the problem by ignoring the irrelevant information. Start with the question you are asked to answer. Then reread the problem and list only the information you need to answer the question. In the example below, you do not need to know water volume.
Beaker A contains 100 mL of water. Beaker B, which is smaller, contains 75 mL of water. The depth of water is the same in both beakers. Which of the following is TRUE?
The volume is greater in beaker B.
The pressure is greater at the bottom of beaker B than at the bottom of beaker A.
The volume is equal in both beakers.
The pressure is equal at the bottom of both beakers.
The pressure is greater at the bottom of beaker A than at the bottom of beaker B.
(Answer: D)
Choose the letter that best answers the question or completes the statement.
1. During a storm, the wind exerts a 150-N force on a window that measures 1.00 m by 0.50 m. The outside air pressure is 101 kPa. What pressure, in pascals, does the wind exert on the window?
75 Pa
150 Pa
2. two identical beakers are both half filled with a liquid. Beaker A contains water and Beaker B contains a liquid that is denser than water. Which of the following is FALSE?
The pressure at the bottom of Beaker B is greater than that at the bottom of Beaker A.
The pressure within each fluid is exerted equally in all directions.
The mass of fluid in Beaker B is greater than the mass of fluid in Beaker A.
The mass of fluid in Beaker A is greater than the mass of fluid in Beaker B.
The volume of fluid in Beaker B is equal to the volume of fluid in Beaker A.
3. When air is blown between two balls suspended from strings, the balls come together and touch. This is explained by
Archimedes' principle.
Pascal's principle.
the Pauli exclusion principle.
Bernoulli's principle.
the hydraulic principle.
4. In a hydraulic system, the area of the output piston is three times larger than the area of the input piston. How is the output force related to the input force?
It is nine times smaller.
It is three times smaller.
They are both zero.
It is three times larger.
It is nine times larger.
Questions 5 and 6 refer to the diagram of an unknown substance in a beaker of water shown below.
5. How are the weight of the unknown object and the buoyant force acting on it related?
They are the same.
They are both equal to zero.
The weight is less than the buoyant force.
The buoyant force is more than the weight.
The weight is more than the buoyant force.
6. Which of the following is TRUE?
Forces from pressure act equally on all sides of the cube.
The unknown substance has a density greater than 1.0 g/cm3.
The buoyant force equals the pressure.
The buoyant force is more than the weight.
The weight is equal to the buoyant force.