A heavy excavator is designed to work on soft, muddy construction sites. It is equipped with two wide caterpillar tracks.
Explain why wide caterpillar tracks are better than standard rubber tyres for travelling on soft mud.
The total weight of the excavator is 60000 N60000\text{ N}60000 N. (Take the acceleration of free fall g=10 m/s2g = 10\text{ m/s}^2g=10 m/s2.)
Calculate the mass of the excavator.
The contact area of each track with the ground is 1.5 m21.5\text{ m}^21.5 m2. Each track supports half of the weight of the excavator.
Calculate the pressure that each track exerts on the muddy ground. Include the unit in your answer.
188 exam-style questions on CIE IGCSE Physics Pressure, covering Pressure. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.