What Is the Correct Ratio of Platform Sides to Lift a Car with a Boy's Weight?

In summary, the problem involves a 1,500-kg car and a 25-kg boy on two square platforms that act as caps of a large oil-filled container. The ratio of the platform sides (large/small) must be between 1.5 and 2.9 for the boy to gently lift the car. This is related to the ratio of the platform areas, which can be calculated by taking the square root of the area ratio.
  • #1
NY152
25
0

Homework Statement


A 1,500-kg car stands on a square platform, and a 25-kg boy stands on another square platform. These platforms are the two caps of a large oil-filled container. What must the ratio of the platform sides (large/small) for the boy to gently lift the car?

-less than 1.5
-Between 3.0 and 4.4
-More than 6.0
-Between 1.5 and 2.9
-Between 4.5 and 6.0

Homework Equations


Fsmall= (Asmall/Alarge)*Flarge

The Attempt at a Solution



25*9.8 = (Asmall/Alarge)*(1500*9.8)
Asmall/Alarge =1/60
I know this is definitely not the right ratio, and I know I'm not including something probably in the area portion -I'm just not sure what that is
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
How is the ratio of "the platform sides" related to the ratio of the areas?
 
  • #3
TSny said:
How is the ratio of "the platform sides" related to the ratio of the areas?
I'm not sure, so the ratio of the platform sides would be different from the ratio of the areas, but I have no clue how you would decipher between the two...
 
  • #4
The platforms are in the shape of a square. How do you calculate the area of a square if you know the length of the sides?
 
  • Like
Likes NY152
  • #5
TSny said:
The platforms are in the shape of a square. How do you calculate the area of a square if you know the length of the sides?
Oh I missed that it would be a square so you'd take the square root of the area ratio?
 
  • #6
NY152 said:
Oh I missed that it would be a square so you'd take the square root of the area ratio?
Thanks that was right!
 

1. What is fluid statics?

Fluid statics is the study of fluids at rest and the forces acting on them. It also deals with the characteristics of fluids, such as density and pressure, as well as the principles governing the behavior of fluids in containers or in contact with solid surfaces.

2. What is the difference between fluid statics and fluid dynamics?

Fluid statics deals with fluids at rest, while fluid dynamics deals with fluids in motion. Fluid statics focuses on the forces and pressures acting on fluids at rest, while fluid dynamics focuses on the fluid's movement and the forces causing that movement.

3. What are some applications of fluid statics?

Fluid statics has many practical applications, including in designing ships, submarines, and other marine structures, determining the stability of dams and other structures, and understanding the behavior of air and water in weather systems. It is also used in medical devices, such as blood pressure monitors, and in industries such as oil and gas, where the behavior of fluids is critical to operations.

4. How is pressure calculated in fluid statics?

Pressure in fluid statics is calculated using the formula P = ρgh, where P is pressure, ρ is the density of the fluid, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height of the fluid column. This formula is known as the hydrostatic equation.

5. What is Pascal's law and how does it apply to fluid statics?

Pascal's law states that when pressure is applied to a fluid in a closed container, the pressure is transmitted equally in all directions. This means that the pressure at any point in a fluid at rest is the same in all directions. In fluid statics, this law is important in understanding how pressure is distributed in a fluid and how it affects the forces acting on the fluid.

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top