AP Physics 2 Exam Question:

A rectangular container is filled with a liquid to a height of 8 cm. The length and width of the container are both 10 cm. Calculate the pressure exerted by the liquid at the bottom of the container. Given: the density of the liquid is 1000 kg/m³ and acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s².

Solution:

To calculate the pressure exerted by the liquid at the bottom of the container, we will use the formula:

Pressure (P) = density (ρ) × gravitational acceleration (g) × height (h)

Given:

• Density (ρ) = 1000 kg/m³
• Gravitational acceleration (g) = 9.8 m/s²
• Height (h) = 8 cm = 0.08 m Note: The given height must be converted to SI units (meters) for consistency.

Now, substituting the given values into the formula, we get:

P = (1000 kg/m³) × (9.8 m/s²) × (0.08 m)

P = 784 Pascal (Pa) [rounded to the nearest Pascal]

Therefore, the pressure exerted by the liquid at the bottom of the container is 784 Pascal.