How Does Force Distribute Across Protrusions in a Symmetric Object?

[Djf321]

Lets say you have a completely rigid blue-colored object shaped as shown below. The object had one wide protrusion on one side and four smaller protrusions on the other side. Everything is completely symmetric so that the weight would be evenly distributed. Let's say you press with 12 N of force on the top surface distributing the force completely evenly over this top surface. What would the individual force be at each of the four protrusions. Would it be (12/4)=3 N? Or would it have to be the same as the force applied to the top surface, namely 12 N?

 

[gmax137]

what is on the bottom of the scales? I mean, are the scales supported somehow, or is the pictured assembly floating in space?

 

[PeroK]

@Djf321 do you know Newton's laws of motion.

 

[phinds]

Change Newtons into men. You have 12 men pushing on the top. How many men need to push on the bottom, spread out evenly, so that the blue thingy doesn't move?

 

[gmax137]

From https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/job-advice-question-physics-phd.916814/

I have a PhD in physics ...

Odd.

 

[wrobel]

Lets say you have a completely rigid

this sounds suspicious. Actually under the rigid body concept you can not find floor's reactions applied to the chair legs (chair has 4 legs). This is called a statically indeterminate system

 

[Djf321]

nothing is supposed to be under the scales. everything in space

 

[PeroK]

nothing is supposed to be under the scales. everything in space

Apply Newton's laws of motion. With "motion" being the operative word.

 

[phinds]

nothing is supposed to be under the scales. everything in space

Then the question is either ridiculous or incomplete, but I'm betting strongly on ridiculous based on the wording. ("Weight" in space?)

 

[russ_watters]

nothing is supposed to be under the scales. everything in space

Do the scales have mass...?

In either case, the answer is already "neither".

 

[phinds]

From https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/job-advice-question-physics-phd.916814/
Odd.

Give his garbled question in Newtonian Mechanics 101, I'd say it's beyond odd.

 

[Mark44]

So I have a PhD in physics specializing in experimental soft matter physics/optics

This is a very odd question for someone who claims to have your background. Furthermore, the question did not include the necessary information (such as, the object is in space) so that responders could give meaningful answers.

Thread closed.