Question

A block of wood is kept on a tabletop. The mass of wooden block is 5 kg and its dimension are 40 cm x 20 cm x 10 cm. Find the pressure exerted by the wooden block on the table top if it is made to lie on the table top with its sides of dimensions
(a) 20 cm x 10 cm and (b) 40 cm x 10 cm

Answer 1

a)$A=20\times 10\times {10}^{-4}{m}^2$

$F=5g=50N$

Pressure$=\frac{50}{200\times {10}^{-4}}=\frac{100\times {10}^2}{4}=2500N/m^2$

b)$A=40\times 10\times {10}^{-4}{m}^2$

$F=50N$

Pressure$=\frac{50}{400\times {10}^{-4}}=\frac{100\times {10}^2}{8}=1250N/m^2$