Question

a friend has fallen through thin ice on a frozen pond. you come to the rescue by laying a ladder across the ice and crawling along the ladder to reach your friend. use the idea of pressure to explain why it is safer to use the ladder to walk on ice.

Answer 1

Answer:

When your are walking along frozen ice pond your weight is not distributed .It's acting on directly on the ice pond because of contact Area is too small between pond and you. There for According to pressure equation ,

P = F/A

When area is less pressure is less.

If use ladder instead of going by foot. Contact area will be high between pond and ladder. There for pressure is reduced .

hope it helps:)