Question

A vertical force of 30 N is applied uniformly to a flat button with a radius of 1 cm that is lying on a table. Which of the following is the best order of magnitude estimate for the pressure applied to the button?

Answer 1

To estimate the pressure on the button, use the formula Pressure = Force / Area. Convert the radius to meters, then calculate the area of a circle. Divide the given force by that area to get the pressure in Pascals.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the pressure exerted by the button, we use the formula Pressure (P) = Force (F) / Area (A). The force given is 30 N, and the area can be calculated using the formula for the area of a circle, A = πr², where r is the radius in meters. First, convert the radius from centimeters to meters by dividing by 100. The radius is 0.01 meters. Squaring this, we get 0.0001 m² for the area. Thus, the pressure is 30 N / 0.0001 m² which equals 300,000 Pa (Pascals). This is an order of magnitude estimate for the pressure applied to the button.