MCQ Detailed View

In physics, pressure is defined as the force applied per unit area on the surface of an object. It tells us how much force is exerted on a given area. The SI unit of pressure is the pascal (Pa), named after the French scientist Blaise Pascal, who made important contributions to fluid mechanics and pressure studies.

Mathematically, pressure is expressed as:

P=FAP = \frac{F}{A}P=AF

Where:

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  P = Pressure

  
  


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  F = Force applied (in newtons, N)

  
  


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  A = Area over which the force is distributed (in square meters, m²)

  
  

Since force is measured in newtons (N) and area in square meters (m²), the SI unit of pressure becomes:

1  Pa=1  Nm21 \; \text{Pa} = 1 \; \frac{N}{m²}1Pa=1m2N

This means one pascal equals one newton of force acting on an area of one square meter. In real-life situations, we often deal with much larger pressures, so other units like kilopascal (kPa), bar, or atmosphere (atm) are used for convenience. For example, standard atmospheric pressure at sea level is about 101,325 Pa or 101.3 kPa.

The other options in this question are incorrect:

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  Joule (J): SI unit of energy or work.

  
  


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  Tesla (T): SI unit of magnetic field strength.

  
  


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  Henry (H): SI unit of electrical inductance.

  
  

Pressure plays a crucial role in everyday science and technology. It explains how fluids behave, why objects float or sink, how hydraulic systems work, and how the human body functions under different atmospheric conditions. Understanding its SI unit, the pascal, is essential for studying physics and engineering.

Therefore, the correct answer is Pascal (Pa), which represents the amount of force exerted on a unit area.