FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

Lab
02

BAROMETRY

BTU1112
Physics Laboratory


Lab Objectives

By the end of this lab, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate that gases are in a static equilibrium when the quotients of
force F and area A, has the same value at all points.


20

Student names Student ID Section Group
KAUTHAM A/L TAMILARASU TB 14002 1B 1
MUHAMAD FADZIL BIN CHE NI TB 14010 1B 1
MUHAMMAD HANIF IKHWAN BIN RAZALI TB 14024 1B 1






Due Date:
Delivery Date:
ABSTRACT

The purpose of this lab period is to gain working knowledge of relationship
between pressure, volume and temperature. After carefully recording observations of various
relevant combinations using the weights throughout the experiment, any physical explanation
was able to develop. Another objective that contributed to this lab is to practice being a good
observer. Put detailed observations into laboratory manual, and that will make easier to explain
observed phenomena from beginning until end of the experiment. Syringes were used in this
experiment which is gas-filled syringes and this experiment was done using Boyles Law.
Barometric pressure was determined in the end of the experiment which was calculated in
results. This is possible because to find the mass of standard masses and use the fact that gas
pressure is defined as force per unit area (newtons per square meter). The SI unit of pressure is
the Pascal (Pa) and is defined as 1 N/m
2
. A newton (N) is a unit of force and when used to
measure weight, it also can be equal to the mass of an object in kg times 9.8 m/s
2
. Besides one
newton equals 1 kg m/s
2
and 1 lb = 4.45 N. Pressure in SI units Pascal (Pa) can be calculated
using this 1 m
2
= 1 10
4
cm
2
. This lab is designed to demonstrate one of the fundamental laws
of gas behavior, Boyles Law. This law is about the relationship between the pressure and
volume of an ideal gas when the number of moles and the temperature are held constant.


INTRODUCTION

A barometer is a scientific instrument used in meteorology to measure atmospheric
pressure. Pressure is a measure of the amount of force per area. Pressure is increased if the force
applied to a given area is increased, or if a given force is applied to a smaller area. Pressure is
proportional to the applied force and inversely proportional to the area over which it act.
This experiment aims to illustrate the definition of pressure as the ratio of force and area
by experimental means using two gas syringes of different diameters which are connected via T-
section and hand pump. The pressure generated by the hand pump is the same in both gas
syringes.

METHADOLOGY

1. The syringes were set up in accordance with Figure 1, but any load was not placed
upon them.
2. The limiting thread of the right syringe was clamped below the stand clamp.
3. The center syringe pulled out half-way before the hose into the hand vacuum and
pressure pump were pushed.
4. Various combinations of weight were placed on the syringe dishes and in each case
were checked whether the system is in equilibrium.
5. The weights were arranged symmetrically on the dishes so that the syringes do not tilt
or stick
6. Criterion for equilibrium: the syringes remain stationary if they are released in any
position.








RESULTS



Combination
of weight
Load at
Syringe A,
F1 (N)

Area for
Syringe A,
A1 (cm
3
)
Pressure of
Syringe A,
(Pa)
Load at
Syringe B,
F2 (N)
Area for
Syringe B,
A2 (cm
3
)
Pressure of
Syringe B,
(Pa)
1 1

25 0.04 3 100 0.03
2 1

25 0.04 4 100 0.04
3 2

25 0.08 8 100 0.08
4

3

25 0.12 3 100 0.03
5 3

25 0.12 6 100 0.06
6 5

25 0.20 1 100 0.01

Volume of
Syringe A and
Syringe B

Combination of
weight 1












Combination of
weight 2









Combination
of weight 3



Combination of
weight 4














Combination
of weight 5




Combination of
weight 6









DISCUSSION

The physics definition of pressure is force per unit area. Pressure= Force/ Area. One of
the methods used to measure pressure is by utilizing syringe. The syringes are connected hand
vacuum and pressure pump. The hand vacuum pump and pressure pump can be used to remove
the air from the syringe or pump in air into syringe. This is due to atmospheric pressure outside
the syringe is being pumped in. Further, the syringe which was placed inside the cylinder will
continue to rise upward until the syringe could not move further up. Now that syringe is fully
filled with air and the reason air was pumped in because the difference in height between two
columns of cylinder can be used to identify pressure. As the pressure goes up, the difference in
height will increase. This can be proved by measuring pressure in terms of Force and Area. 100g
is equivalent to 1N and volume of gas that occupies syringe A is 25cm
3
and syringe B occupies
100cm
3
. This experiment was comprises of 6 different part which have different ratio for every
single part.
For the first part, the ratio that has been used was 1:3. This ratio means 100g of load was
placed on syringe dish A and 300g of loads were placed on syringe dish B. Hence the pressure
obtained for the syringe A was 0.04Pa and syringe B obtained 0.03Pa. This clearly shows
pressure did not meet equilibrium state. As a result syringe A tilt downwards immediately
because the pressure exerted in syringe A is more than B. Syringe B tilted upwards because it has
lower pressure than syringe A. Later ratios that have been used were 1:4 and 2:8. For the syringe
A, the load that has been used is 100g and 200g while for syringe B, it is 400g and 800g. As soon
as the syringe dish was released upon placing the load, equilibrium state was reached because
syringe B obtained same amount of pressure as syringe A which is 0.04Pa and 0.08Pa
respectively. This shows syringe B which occupies 100cm
3
volume requires 400g and 800g of
load to match 25cm3 of 100g and 200g at syringe A. Later 3:3 was conducted by placing 300g of
load on syringe dish A and 300g of load on syringe dish B. For this try, syringe A tilted
downwards while syringe B tilted upwards. This is due to pressure exerted on syringe A was
0.12Pa which was higher than pressure on syringe B 0.03Pa. Next, ratio of 3:6 was demonstrated
by placing 300g of load on syringe dish A and 600g on syringe dish B. Syringe A tilted
downwards because 0.12Pa was exerted compared to 0.06Pa exerted on syringe B. Lastly 5:1
was used to measure the equilibrium state by placing 500g on syringe dish A and 100g on
syringe dish B. The syringe dish A tilted downwards because it exerted 0.2Pa which is more than
syringe B which only produced 0.01Pa.

CONCLUSION

We can conclude that we were learnt how to use the barometer correctly and achieved
objective of the experiment. Overall, the experiment succeeded in showing that gases are in static
equilibrium when the quotients of force, F and area, A has the same value of all points. We were
also listed down the possibility to produce equilibrium for both syringes. We obtained that
theoretically and experimentally the same results which we only need small effort for small area
of syringe to produce a greater force on the large area of syringe. In addition, the experimental
error also occur throughout the experiment when the instrument that we used not produced an
accurate reading of the scale of the syringes and also been interrupted by others factors.

RECOMMONDATION

1. Try to repeat the experiment which use liquid acts as medium in the syringe barometer to
get more accurate reading of the scale.
2. Repeat the experiment with a few reading to get an average reading by using the liquid
medium syringe barometer.



REFERENCES

1) https://www.wordnik.com/words/barometer
2) http://www.kentchemistry.com/links/GasLaws/manBar.htm
3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barometer