Pressure under a solid
3 marks · NormalDescribe a method you would use in the laboratory to determine the pressure exerted by a shoe on the ground. Include details of the measurements you would take.
Work this out on paper, then compare with the answer and worked solution below. With a free account you can submit written answers for marking.
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Must show: Measuring mass/weight, Measuring area, Calculating pressure
Common mistakes: Measuring only mass and forgetting area; Measuring whole foot area but not just sole
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Marking points
B1 · 1 mark · Describes measuring the mass or weight of the person/shoe.
B2 · 1 mark · Describes measuring (estimating/tracing) the contact area of the shoe.
B3 · 1 mark · States or uses pressure = force / area.
Worked solution
Measure the mass of the student wearing the shoe using bathroom or electronic scales. Draw around the sole of the shoe onto a piece of graph paper to measure the area of contact, then count the squares inside the outline to estimate the area. Multiply the mass by g to get the weight (force). Finally, calculate pressure using pressure = force/area.