Greatest Pressure on Brick: Bottom Side

[jimbo71]

Homework Statement

Consider a brick that is totally immersed in water. The long edge of the brick is vertical. The pressure on the brick is
A. greatest on the sides of the brick
B. greatest on the face with the largest area
C. the same on all surfaces of the brick
D. greatest on the top of the brick
E. greatest on the bottom of the brick

Homework Equations

p=f/a
p=p0+dgh

The Attempt at a Solution

I think the answer should be choice E force is constant on all sides of the brick, the tops and bottoms have the smallest area and the bottom of the brick has more pressure than the top because it is submerged deeper.

 

[Doc Al]

force is constant on all sides of the brick

No it isn't. (If by "constant" you mean "the same".)

, the tops and bottoms have the smallest area

True, but irrelevant. They are asking about pressure, which is force/area.

and the bottom of the brick has more pressure than the top because it is submerged deeper.

Bingo! That's all that matters. The pressure depends only on the depth, so the side that's submerged the deepest will experience the most pressure.