Why can you walk on snow with snowshoes but sink without them? Same force (your weight), but spread over a bigger area = less pressure! High heels can damage floors because all your weight is concentrated on a tiny area. Pressure = how concentrated a force is.
This introduction covers What Is Pressure? within Pressure for GCSE Mathematics. Revise Pressure in Ratio & Proportion for GCSE Mathematics with 12 exam-style questions and 2 flashcards. This topic appears less often, but it can still be a useful differentiator on mixed-topic papers. It is section 1 of 6 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Practice questions for Pressure
Which formula correctly defines pressure?
A woman weighs 650 N. She wears flat shoes (each with area 150 cm²) or stiletto heels (each with area 1 cm²). She stands on one foot. Explain why the stiletto heel exerts a much greater pressure on the floor than the flat shoe. Support your answer with a calculation.
Quick recall flashcards
Pressure Formula
Pressure = Force ÷ Area. Units: N/m² or Pascals (Pa). Same force over smaller area = MORE pressure!
Pressure Applications
Pressure = Force ÷ Area. Sharp knives, stiletto heels, snowshoes - all examples of changing area to change pressure!