External Pressure

Definition

External pressure is the force exerted on a system from its surroundings.

Analogy

Think of external pressure like a crowd at a concert. The people around you (the surroundings) are pushing against you (the system), trying to get closer to the stage. That's what external pressure is like on a molecular level.

Related terms

Atmospheric Pressure: This is the pressure exerted by the weight of air in the atmosphere of Earth, often used as a standard for measuring other types of pressure.

Hydrostatic Pressure: This is the pressure that is exerted by a fluid at equilibrium due to gravity. It increases with depth, just like how it gets harder to hold your breath underwater as you dive deeper.

Pascal's Principle: This principle states that when there is an increase in pressure at any point in a confined fluid, there is an equal increase at every other point in the container.