Question

A firefighter weighs 725 N. She wears shoes that each cover an area of 206 cm��. What is the pressure exerted by each shoe?

1) 2.5 N/cm��
2) 3.5 N/cm��
3) 4.5 N/cm��
4) 5.5 N/cm��

Answer 1

The pressure exerted by each shoe of a firefighter weighing 725 N with each shoe covering an area of 206 cm² is approximately 3.5 N/cm².

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the pressure exerted by each shoe of the firefighter, we can use the formula:

Pressure = Force ÷ Area

Given that the firefighter weighs 725 N, and each shoe covers an area of 206 cm², the pressure exerted by each shoe is:

Pressure = 725 N ÷ (206 cm² × 2 shoes)
= 725 N ÷ 412 cm²
≈ 1.76 N/cm²

This value is not among the options provided, which likely means there was a misunderstanding in the question. The correct answer should be calculated based on the force (weight) divided by the area of one shoe, not both. Let's correct that:

Pressure = 725 N ÷ 206 cm²
≈ 3.52 N/cm²

This rounds to option 2) 3.5 N/cm², which is the pressure exerted by each shoe.