⚠️ Common Mistakes: Area vs Pressure
❌ Mistake 1: Thinking that greater area means more pressure.
Wrong Idea: "Larger the area, greater the pressure applied."
Wrong Idea: "Larger the area, greater the pressure applied."
✅ Correction: Pressure is inversely proportional to area. If force is constant, increasing the area reduces the pressure.
Example:
A sharp knife cuts better than a blunt one because the small area increases pressure.
A sharp knife cuts better than a blunt one because the small area increases pressure.
❌ Mistake 2: Using wrong units for area like cm instead of cm².
Wrong: "Area = 4 cm" in the formula.
Wrong: "Area = 4 cm" in the formula.
✅ Correction: Area must always be in **square units** like cm², m². For pressure in Pascals, use area in m².
❌ Mistake 3: Confusing pressure with force.
Wrong Thought: "If pressure is high, the object must be heavy."
Wrong Thought: "If pressure is high, the object must be heavy."
✅ Correction: Pressure = Force ÷ Area. Even a light object can cause high pressure if its contact area is very small.
Formula Reminder:
Units: Pressure (Pa), Force (N), Area (m²)
Pressure = Force ÷ Area
Units: Pressure (Pa), Force (N), Area (m²)