Applications of Pressure in Daily Life

Application of atmospheric pressure or just air pressure refers to the numerous activities that
we do or observe every day without even realising that there is an iota of pressure getting into
the picture.
This is the same air pressure which is equivalent to 15 lbs per square inch at sea level and
helps keep things around us the way they are.
We survive in this high pressure condition because we have evolved and managed our body
functions withstand this amount of high pressure.
Whatever changes and activities we see around us are from the fact that these are mainly
accomplished at sea level and that they are mostly spontaneous it always tries to maintain
equilibrium between different physical systems.

Any changes either from the place of activity or on account of physical systems might cause
change in pressure leading to the impairment or dysfunction of the system.
Lets take a look at the different application of air pressure that we fail to note but are
omnipresent.

(a) When we breathe the atmospheric pressure of 15 lbs at sea level causes the oxygen to
pass through the semi permeable membrane easily. If the same activity is carried out in
higher altitudes might cause hypoxia or deprivation of oxygen due to lower air atmospheric
pressure.

(b) The ink dropper that we use almost on a daily basis actually works on the air pressure
principle. As soon we create a low pressure by removing the air inside the bulb, the ink flows
in to fill in the void.

(c) When a jet liner flies above 10000 feet the cabin pressurization is maintained by
pumping compressed air into it to compensate the low pressure outside.
If not done these might lead to bleeding from nose and ears as the high blood pressure inside
the blood vessels compared to low pressure would make them swell and burst open.

(d) The working of plungers that we use in sink revolves around the same principle of
having lower pressure inside compared to the air pressure outside and the suction is nothing
but actually a difference in air pressures.

(e) An aeroplane would take off from the ground based completely on the fact that when we
cause the air to move we lessen the air pressure in the immediate surrounding and that helps
in lifting the aeroplane.

(f) The cleaning vacuum used in homes are again working on the same principle of lower
pressure created inside the machine causing it to suck everything inside including dust
particles.

(g) Suction pumps used in village areas works on the same principle of creating low
pressure inside the cylinder when we lift the piston and that causes the atmospheric pressure
to push up the water to the surface.

(h) Blood pressure check up requires a inflatable cuff wrapped around the arm which is
inflated to the max to stop the flow of blood and in turn calculate the blood pressure produced
by heart.
This reading gives the idea of high blood pressure and as soon the cuff is deflated the blood
flow gushes through and becomes normal after sometime.
The cessation of blood flowing under pressure gives an idea of lower point of blood pressure.

(i) Have you ever thought how a windshield of a car is fixed or is carried by the fixer or
people who work on high rise buildings fix glass panels to the walls and windows? They all
use glass fixing rubber suckers to carry the glass panes and attach it as well. The rubber
suckers work on the same principle of lower pressure / vacuum inside or pushing out the air
from inside and the high atmospheric pressure outside helps these suckers hold the position
on wall.

(j) Working of a doctors syringe also revolves around the same principle of lowering the
atmospheric pressure inside the syringe cylinder.
As we pull up the plunger of syringe there is a decrease the atmospheric pressure inside the
syringe cylinder.
Tthe higher atmospheric pressure outside pushes the liquid from the vial up and when the
plunger is pushed back the liquid is forced out due to higher atmospheric pressure above the
plunger.

(k) In chemistry labs we come across several lab tools which works on the same principle of
lowering atmospheric pressure inside a tool. Pipette is one of those lab tools which is used for
measuring small volumes of reagents. When we press the bulb attached to pipette or suck the
air inside is pulled out and that causes low atmospheric pressure inside the pipette.
This in turn helps in lifting the reagent and once the finger is released from top the
pressureabove the reagent increase and that helps in pouring out the reagent.

(l) The cistern that we use in our washrooms / toilets are based on same principle. The
atmospheric pressure inside the cistern is lowerd or decreased to an extent that allows the
water to push through the outlet and once it is at par with the pressure outisde the water
gushes in from the inlet.

(m) The fruits are stored in jars inadvertently uses the same principle. When we store fruits in
jars we also put some water inside the jars and then put these jars in water bath which is
brought to a boil. The boiling sterilizes the fruits while the steam produced inside drives away
the air inside. These are then kept away after putting air tight caps on them.

(n) Many a times when low lying areas get flooded people use innovative ways to pump out
the water from their basements where putting up a pump set difficult. Same principle based
tools are applied to siphon out the excess water.
Siphon which uses both the atmospheric pressure and the cohesive force of water is used to
flush out the water.

The siphon is filled with water and as water is filled within the siphon the air is forced out
resulting in creating a low pressure around the water level and that helps in raising the water
level which in turn uses the cohesive force of water to clear the accumulated water.

The atmospheric pressure would play a big role in maintaining a constant flow of water
within the siphon as many a times due to formation of bubbles and other gases there is a
chance of breakage in flow.

The application of air pressure and its scope is innumerable and the above mentioned
examples are just a few to highlight that with.


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