Grade 10 Physics · Strand 1: Mechanics and Thermal Physics · Pressure
Environmental and Historical Applications of Pressure
A short Grade 10 Physics lesson for the CBE curriculum, part of Mechanics and Thermal Physics: Pressure. Learn it on any phone with notes and slides, then check yourself with a quick quiz and earn XP. This lesson is free.
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1. Why did traditional Swahili dhows sail south-west to Mombasa and Lamu during the Kaskazi season (November to March)?
- A. Cool, high-pressure air over continental Asia flowed towards the lower-pressure region over the warmer Indian Ocean
- B. Intense heating over Kenya created high pressure that pushed air towards Asia
- C. Rising humidity over the ocean increased the density of water and pulled ships towards Mombasa
- D. Air moved from low pressure over Asia to high pressure over the ocean
2. A water tank on a hill in Machakos is 30 m above a tap in a residential estate. Taking the density of water as 1000 kg/m^3 and g = 10 N/kg, calculate the pressure of the water at the tap due to the vertical height. Give your answer in kilopascals (kPa).
Type your answer (in kPa) in the lesson.
3. What causes a spring-loaded safety valve on a steam boiler to open?
- A. The steam force (pressure × area) on the valve exceeds the opposing force of the compressed spring
- B. The boiler walls expand and draw air into the exhaust pipe
- C. The atmospheric pressure outside the valve rises above the steam pressure
- D. The spring heats up and pulls the valve open by contracting
4. On a weather chart, isobars are drawn very close together over an area. What does this show about the wind there?
- A. The pressure gradient is steep, so winds are strong
- B. The pressure gradient is gentle, so winds are light
- C. The air pressure is the same everywhere, so there is no wind
- D. The air temperature is exactly equal across the area, so winds blow randomly
5. What name is given to a seasonal prevailing wind driven by pressure differences between land and ocean, such as the Kaskazi and Kusi winds?
Type your answer in the lesson.
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