Force and Pressure is one of the most important chapters in Class 8 Physics, and it is also one of the easiest to score in. This post gives you 20 easy multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on force, types of force, pressure, liquid pressure and atmospheric pressure.

Every question comes with the correct answer and a short solution at the end, so you can check your understanding straight away.

Quick Revision: Key Points

• Force is a push or a pull. Its SI unit is the newton (N).
• A force can change the speed, the direction of motion or the shape of an object. It cannot change the mass.
• Contact forces: muscular force and friction. Non-contact forces: gravitational, magnetic and electrostatic forces.
• Pressure = force ÷ area. Its SI unit is the pascal (Pa), where 1 Pa = 1 N/m².
• For the same force, a smaller area gives more pressure and a larger area gives less pressure.
• Liquids exert pressure on the bottom and walls of the container, and the pressure increases with depth.
• Gases exert pressure on the walls of their container in all directions.
• Atmospheric pressure is caused by the weight of the air above us, and it decreases as we go higher.

How to use this set: attempt all 20 MCQs without looking at the answers. Then check the answer key. Scoring 18-20 means you know the chapter well; 14-17 is good; below 14 means it is worth revising the points above and trying again.

Practice Questions: 20 Easy MCQs

1. A push or a pull on an object is called:

(a) energy

(b) work

(c) power

(d) force

2. The unit of force is named after:

(a) Galileo

(b) Isaac Newton

(c) Blaise Pascal

(d) Albert Einstein

3. Which of the following is a contact force?

(a) Gravitational force

(b) Magnetic force

(c) Muscular force

(d) Electrostatic force

4. Which of the following is a non-contact force?

(a) Gravitational force

(b) Muscular force

(c) Frictional force

(d) Force of a push

5. A football lying at rest starts moving when it is kicked. The force has changed its:

(a) shape

(b) mass

(c) state of motion

(d) colour

6. When we press a rubber ball, the force changes its:

(a) mass

(b) shape

(c) colour

(d) density

7. Two forces of equal size act on an object in opposite directions along the same line. These forces are called:

(a) balanced forces

(b) unbalanced forces

(c) contact forces

(d) gravitational forces

8. The force acting per unit area is called:

(a) energy

(b) speed

(c) weight

(d) pressure

9. If the force stays the same but the area is doubled, the pressure becomes:

(a) double

(b) half

(c) the same

(d) four times

10. One pascal is equal to:

(a) 1 N·m²

(b) 1 kg/m²

(c) 1 N/m²

(d) 1 m²/N

11. Liquids exert pressure on:

(a) only the bottom of the container

(b) only the top surface

(c) only the walls of the container

(d) the bottom and the walls of the container

12. Gases exert pressure:

(a) only on the bottom of the container

(b) only on the lid

(c) on the walls of the container in all directions

(d) nowhere

13. The pressure exerted by the layer of air around the Earth is called:

(a) liquid pressure

(b) atmospheric pressure

(c) muscular pressure

(d) frictional pressure

14. We do not feel the atmospheric pressure because:

(a) it is zero

(b) it is balanced by the pressure inside our body

(c) air has no weight

(d) we are used to gravity

15. Objects fall towards the ground because of:

(a) magnetic force

(b) friction

(c) gravitational force

(d) muscular force

16. A comb rubbed with dry hair attracts small pieces of paper. The force acting is:

(a) electrostatic force

(b) magnetic force

(c) muscular force

(d) gravitational force

17. When a bullock pulls a cart, the force used is:

(a) magnetic force

(b) muscular force

(c) gravitational force

(d) electrostatic force

18. School bags have wide straps in order to:

(a) increase the pressure on the shoulders

(b) reduce the weight of the bag

(c) reduce the pressure on the shoulders

(d) make the bag look good

19. A drawing pin has a pointed tip in order to:

(a) make it lighter

(b) make it look neat

(c) reduce friction

(d) exert a large pressure at the tip

20. The wall of a dam is made thicker at the bottom because:

(a) water at the top is heavier

(b) water pressure increases with depth

(c) it looks better

(d) it costs less

Answers and Solutions

Q	Ans	Solution
1	(d)	A push or a pull is a force.
2	(b)	The unit of force, the newton, is named after Isaac Newton. Pascal is named after Blaise Pascal (unit of pressure).
3	(c)	Muscular force acts through contact. Gravitational, magnetic and electrostatic forces act without contact.
4	(a)	Gravitational force acts without touching. Muscular force, friction and a push need contact.
5	(c)	The ball changed from rest to motion, so the force changed its state of motion.
6	(b)	Pressing a rubber ball changes its shape.
7	(a)	Equal and opposite forces along the same line are balanced forces. Their net effect is zero.
8	(d)	Pressure = force ÷ area, that is, force per unit area.
9	(b)	Pressure = force ÷ area. If area doubles, pressure becomes half.
10	(c)	1 pascal = 1 newton per square metre (1 N/m²).
11	(d)	Liquids exert pressure on the bottom and on the walls of the container.
12	(c)	Gases exert pressure on the walls of the container in all directions.
13	(b)	The pressure of the air around the Earth is called atmospheric pressure.
14	(b)	The pressure inside our body balances the atmospheric pressure outside, so we do not feel it.
15	(c)	The Earth attracts objects towards its centre by gravitational force.
16	(a)	A charged (rubbed) body attracts small pieces of paper by electrostatic force.
17	(b)	The force exerted by the muscles of animals or humans is muscular force.
18	(c)	A wide strap spreads the weight over a large area, so the pressure on the shoulder is smaller.
19	(d)	A small area at the tip means a large pressure for the same force, so the pin goes in easily.
20	(b)	Pressure of water increases with depth, so the dam must be stronger at the bottom.

Keep Practising

Try the other practice sets for this chapter:

• Force and Pressure Class 8: 20 Difficult MCQs with Solutions
• Class 8 Olympiad Physics: 50 Force and Pressure MCQs (ISO Style)

Found a mistake or want more chapters? Leave a comment below and we will update this post.