Question

In which case will you exert greater pressure on the ground if you wear shoes with pointed heels or if you wear slippers? why?

Answer 1

Pointed heels.
Because it has less surface area than slippers.
Since,
Pressure = Force/Area

Answer 2

Answer:

• The ‘pressure exerted on the ground’ while wearing a ‘pointed heel’ will be more than that by a slipper. This is because “pressure is the force per unit area applied by an object.”
• $P=\frac{F}{A}$  where P = pressure, F = Force perpendicular to the area, A = area.
• This means that a force applied to a smaller area implies greater pressure than the one exerted on a larger area.
• Since the body weight is “perpendicular to the heel surface”, the pressure exerted by a pointed heel is much higher than that exerted by the remaining sole area of the entire shoe.
• So, a heavier person will exert more pressure while wearing a heel than a thinner person. Hence, it is not advisable to wear pointed heels.