Question

A person exerts 80,000 Pa of pressure on the ground while standing on both feet. What would happen to the pressure if the person then stood on only foot, decreasing the area in contact with the floor to half the original?

1. The person would exert twice as much pressure on the floor, 160,000 Pa. As the contact area between the surface and object decreases, the pressure increases.
2. The person would exert only slightly more than 80,000 Pa of pressure on the floor. The contact area between the surface and object has a very small effect on the pressure.
3. The person would exert the same amount of pressure on the floor, 80,000 Pa. Pressure only depends on the weight of the object, which didn’t change.
4. The person would exert half the amount of pressure on the floor, 40,000 Pa. As the contact area between the surface and object decreases, the pressure decreases.
I believe it is the third one. Is this correct?

Answer 1

nope, not the third one. The weight remained the same, but area= 1/2 original.

pressurenew= oldpressure/1/2

Answer 2

it going to be the first one. 1. The person would exert twice as much pressure on the floor, 160,000 Pa. As the contact area between the surface and object decreases, the pressure increases.