An equipment platform exerts a total normal force of 18 000 N18\,000\ \mathrm{N}18000 N on the floor through four identical support pads. Each pad has a contact area of 0.015 m2. The design target is to keep the pressure on the floor below 200 000 Pa200\,000\ \mathrm{Pa}200000 Pa.
Calculate the pressure on the floor.
The support pads are replaced with four pads, each with a contact area of 0.024 m2. The total normal force remains unchanged. Calculate the pressure on the floor and state whether the design target is met.
132 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Physics 15.2 Pressure in fluids, covering 15.2.1 Atmospheric pressure and height, 15.2.2 Pressure in fluids, 15.2.3 Pressure, force and area, 15.2.4 Pressure and depth, 15.2.5 Pressure in liquids: depth and density, 15.2.6 Upthrust, and 15.2.7 Floating and sinking. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.