Question

Explain why, when a person stands on a cushion, the depression is much more than when he lies down on it.

Answer 1

When a person stands on a cushion, the entire weight of his body gets focused on a smaller area, thereby producing a larger pressure. But when a person lies on a cushion, the entire weight is distributed over a larger area, producing a smaller pressure. Thus, the depression in the cushion is more when a person stands than when he lies.