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Indie
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When there is a wall and a huge machine tried to move it and applied force on it at a point, why will the wall break at the spot the force is being applied and not move away?
Well, think about it the other way 'round ... why would you expect it to move away? Under what conditions might it do so?Indie said:When there is a wall and a huge machine tried to move it and applied force on it at a point, why will the wall break at the spot the force is being applied and not move away?
Well, in other cases it works so why not this one? Let's say there's an empty crate... If you exerted some force on it at a point, it will move away, not break at the point you are applying the force at, right?phinds said:Well, think about it the other way 'round ... why would you expect it to move away? Under what conditions might it do so?
Sure. What's the difference between a crate and a wall?Indie said:Well, in other cases it works so why not this one? Let's say there's an empty crate... If you exerted some force on it at a point, it will move away, not break at the point you are applying the force at, right?
If you hit a crate with a hammer, it might move or it might break.Indie said:Well, in other cases it works so why not this one? Let's say there's an empty crate... If you exerted some force on it at a point, it will move away, not break at the point you are applying the force at, right?
Or, what difference is there in the design requirements?phinds said:Sure. What's the difference between a crate and a wall?
Have a think about the top an bottom of a wall compared to a crate.Indie said:When there is a wall and a huge machine tried to move it and applied force on it at a point, why will the wall break at the spot the force is being applied and not move away?
Indie said:When there is a wall and a huge machine tried to move it and applied force on it at a point, why will the wall break at the spot the force is being applied and not move away?
Walls are attached to the ground!Indie said:When there is a wall and a huge machine tried to move it and applied force on it at a point, why will the wall break at the spot the force is being applied and not move away?
Spoilsportruss_watters said:This is too painful to watch.
Walls are attached to the ground!
Because a wall is typically in a fixed, anchored position, the entire wall is stronger than the surface area of the point of contact between the machine and the wall. The force applied exceeds the strength of the material at the contact point but does not exceed the combined strength of the rest of the wall. Thus, the path of least resistance for the moving object(the machine) is to break through at the contact point instead of pushing the whole wall.Indie said:When there is a wall and a huge machine tried to move it and applied force on it at a point, why will the wall break at the spot the force is being applied and not move away?
hilbert2 said:How about increasing the area on which the force is applied?
if you increase area then stress will decrease as stress =force÷areaUriah Graves said:This could change things drastically.
If you are breaking a beam that is supported on the ends by pushing in the middle, it does not matter greatly whether the force you apply is concentrated or dispersed. The highest stress will typically (*) occur not directly as pressure due to the applied normal force. Instead it will arise indirectly, from the resulting tension and compression in the beam.kartikey said:if you increase area then stress will decrease as stress =force÷area
so you will need a larger force to break the wall
That's not correct. The net force on the wall is zero, but the force that balances our pushing is not the wall reacting to being pushed, but rather the force of the ground (or whatever the wall is attached to) pushing n the wall.brunagari said:Indeed, the total force acting on the wall is zero, but that's not because you are not applying a force, but because the wall reacts by applying the same exact force to balance yours.
If I had £1 for every time someone on PF confuses Newton's First and Third Laws, I could afford to take all the Science Advisors out for quite a few beers.Nugatory said:That's not correct. The net force on the wall is zero, but the force that balances our pushing is not the wall reacting to being pushed, but rather the force of the ground (or whatever the wall is attached to) pushing n the wall.
The main reason a wall breaks when pushed is because of the force applied to it. When a force is exerted on an object, it creates stress and strain on the material, causing it to deform and eventually break if the force is strong enough.
The amount of force required to break a wall depends on the material and thickness of the wall. Generally, it takes a significant amount of force to break a wall, as walls are designed to withstand external forces such as wind and earthquakes.
A wall doesn't move when pushed because of its mass and inertia. Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its motion, and walls have a large mass which makes them difficult to move with a small force.
Yes, a wall can break without being pushed. External factors such as natural disasters, structural defects, or heavy impact can cause a wall to break without any force being applied to it.
Walls can be reinforced by using strong and durable materials such as concrete, steel, or reinforced masonry. Additionally, proper construction techniques and regular maintenance can help prevent walls from breaking under normal circumstances.