Pressure is a scalar quantity because:
| a. | it is the ratio of force to the area and both force and area are vectors. |
| b. | it is the ratio of the magnitude of the force to the area. |
| c. | it is the ratio of the component of the force normal to the area. |
| d. | it does not depend on the size of the area chosen. |
Choose the correct alterative/s:
1. (b), (c)
2. (a), (d)
3. (b), (d)
4. (c), (d)
Hint: In the case of pressure, we only take the magnitude of the force.
Explanation: Pressure is defined as the ratio of the magnitude of the component of the force normal to the area and the area under consideration. Let a force is applied on a plane surface as shown in the figure.
Then the pressure is given by; \(P = \frac{F_n}{\Delta A}\). As we are considering the component of a force, which is a scalar quantity, therefore it will not have any direction. So, the pressure is a scalar quantity.
Hence, option (1) is the correct answer.
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