Question

A person wearing the shoes has a mass of 61 kg .

Estimate the pressure exerted on a floor by one pointed heel of area 0.45 cm2.

Estimate the pressure exerted on a floor by one wide heel of area 16 cm2.

Answer 1

convert cm2 to m2
0.45cm^2 = 0.000045m^2.
Pressure P = F/A = mg / A

P = (61kg*9.8) / 0.000045 = 1.328 x 10⁷ Pa (N/m^2).
Therefore, pressure exerted on the floor due to one pointed heel is half of the pressure due to two pointed heels.

P = 1.328 x 10⁷ / 2 = 6.642*10⁶ Pa

b)

convert cm2 to m2
16 cm^2 = 0.0016m^2.
Pressure P = F/A = mg / A

P = (61kg*9.8) / 0.0016 = 3.73*10⁵ Pa (N/m^2).
Therefore, pressure exerted on the floor due to one pointed wide is half of the pressure due to two pointed heels.

P = 3.73*10⁵ / 2 = 1.868*10⁵ Pa