Question

A girl stands on a box having 60 cm length, 40 cm breadth and 20 cm width in three ways. The pressure exerted by the box will be:

• A. maximum when length and breadth form the base
• B. maximum when breadth and width form the base
• C. maximum when width and length form the base
• D. the same in all the above three cases

Answer 1

The correct option is B maximum when breadth and width form the base

The force exerted by the box on base=Weight of object=$W$

The pressure that it exerts on the base$=\frac{W}{A}$

where $A$ is the area of the base.

Hence the pressure is maximum for smallest area of the base, which is when formed by breadth and width.