Question

one column is half as tall as a second column. how much more load can the smaller column take before buckling (assume buckling controls in both cases)?

Answer 1

The smaller column can take four times less load before buckling compared to the taller column.

Step-by-step explanation:

In order to determine how much more load the smaller column can take before buckling, we need to understand that buckling occurs when the compressive load on a column exceeds its critical load. The critical load is inversely proportional to the square of the height of the column. So, if the smaller column is half as tall as the second column, it means that the smaller column can take four times less load before buckling.

For example, if the second column can support a load of 1000 N before buckling, the smaller column can only support a load of 250 N before buckling.