Question

A girl stands on a box having 60 cm length, 40 cm breadth and 20 cm width in three ways. In which of the following cases, the pressure exerted by the brick will be

Options

• maximum when length and breadth form the base

• maximum when breadth and width form the base

• maximum when width and length form the base

• the same in all the above three cases

Answer 1

maximum when breadth and width form the base

Explanation:

As pressure = `"force"/"area"` = `"weight"/"area"`
The weight of the girl is the same in all three cases. So, the pressure exerted by the brick will be maximum when the area is least, i.e., when breadth and width from the base.