A field equipment cabinet is placed on soft ground. The cabinet exerts a force of 1800 N normal to the ground. The cabinet can be fitted with either support P or support Q.
| Support | Number of contact surfaces | Length of each contact surface | Width of each contact surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| P: rectangular footplates | 4 | 0.20 m | 0.15 m |
| Q: rectangular runners | 2 | 0.80 m | 0.10 m |
Calculate the pressure exerted on the ground by the cabinet when fitted with each support design. Explain which support design is less likely to sink into the soft ground.
108 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Physics 5.5 Pressure and pressure differences in fluids, covering 5.5.1 Pressure in a fluid and 5.5.2 Atmospheric pressure. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.