I can’t seem to wrap my head around the term pressure.
Vehicle tyres use air pressure, toilets faucets etc use pressure (presumably water pressure),
pressing onto something applies pressure, our blood has pressure, temperature is also affected by “pressure”.
I know there are various types of pressure, and I can’t think of any more examples at the moment, but my point is “pressure” sounds like a very arbitrary or vague umbrella term to me.
Help me make sense of it?
In: 3
Pressure is the application of force.
When air is compressed, it applies outward pressure on the container. (Air tank, Tire, Balloon) Depending on the design and materials used, the container may expand (balloon).
Fluid can also be pressurized. This is how water flows through a pipe, and it is also how blood moves through your veins and arteries. In a public water system, water towers use gravity to help maintain the water pressure in the pipes below the tank.
Pressure is affected by temperature as when items are warmed, they expand. When they cool, they contract. Heating water in a pressure cooker causes the water to boil, turning some of the water into steam. The heat causes water to transition from a liquid to a gas (steam) and this builds pressure because steam is compressible.
Pressure can also be sensed as stress. Stress is a reaction to pressure. In a person, feeling pressure can make you upset or tense. In an object, like a balloon, the stress is in the tension of the rubber. If the stress is too high, the balloon breaks.
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