A 10kg cube of iron with length 5cm is resting on a table surface. Assuming the acceleration under gravity of the block is 9.81ms^(-2), what is the pressure on the table?

Pressure is given by P=F/A, where F is force and A is area. Neither are given in the question, but A is the area of the cube in contact with the table; this is the area of one face of the cube, so A=LL=0.050.05=0.0025 m2 (Side Note - Remember to convert to meters!).

Now we have A, we need F - this is given by F=ma, which is F=10*9.81=98.1 N.

Finally, P=F/A=98.1 N/0.0025 m2= 39240 Pa. (Side Note - 1 Pa=1 N/1 m2)

WH
Answered by William H. Physics tutor

3864 Views

See similar Physics GCSE tutors

Related Physics GCSE answers

All answers ▸

Describe what red shift is and why i provides evidence for the Big Bang Theory.


What is the importance of the resultant force in a free-fall question?


Describe the changes in forces experienced by a parachutist after they have started falling


A rollercoaster carriage of mass 100kg has 45kJ of Kinetic Energy at the lowest point of its ride. Ignoring air resistance and friction between the wheels and the tracks, what is the maximum height above this point it could reach? [Take g as 10m/s/s)


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning