CARIBBEAN ONLINE ACADEMY

PHYSICS EXPERIMENT #9

DATE: 23RD FEBRUARY 2023

TITLE: PLANNING AND DESIGN (PRESSURE)

SECTION A: PROPOSAL

Problem Statement:
During Physics class John comes in late & stands on the chair causing the legs to break. He is
now in disagreement with his classmate that the chair was already broken before he stood on
it. He further states that he sits on it everyday and it is still him who is sitting on it today, so
what’s the problem. He now believes that the other students may have broken the leg & set
him up to fall when he sits.

Hypothesis:
John exerted more pressure on the chair while standing compared to when he was sitting.

Aim:
To investigate if sitting or standing on the chair exerted more pressure

Apparatus/Materials

● Electronic Balance
● Graph papers
● Pencil and pen

Procedure
1. To find mass, set up balance and make sure it is at zero.
2. Stand on balance, and record the value
3. Multiply the value of mass (kg) by 10N to acquire the value of the Force acting on the
chair when sitting or standing, then record value.
4. Position both feet on the graph paper and trace the edges of your feet with a sharp
pencil.
5. The graph paper will be used to determine the size of the area of both feet.
6. The largest squares are 2cm x 2cm = 4cm2, the next smaller squares are 1cm x 1cm =
1cm2, and the smallest squares are 2mm x 2mm = 0.04cm2.
 7. Label the largest squares “A” then count all the squares that are “A” and multiply that it
by 4cm2.
8. Label the smaller squares “B” then count all the squares that are “B” and multiply it by
1cm2.
9. Label the smallest squares “C” then count all the squares that are “C” and multiply it by
0.04cm2.
10. Record the areas and add them all together to get the area of both feet.
11. Place another graph paper on the chair to obtain the area covered when sitting on the
chair.
12. Sit on the graph paper and then carefully trace the outline of your body in contact with
the graph paper or chair.
13. Repeat steps 7 to 10.

Expected Results

MASS/(KG) FORCE/(N) AREA/(m2) PRESSURE/(N/m2) or PA

SITTING
(SI)
STANDIN
G
(ST)
TABLE SHOWING EXPECTED RESULTS

Calculations

Area when standing

Area of “A” squares (cm2) = No. of “A” squares x 4cm2

Area of “B” squares (cm2) = No. of “B” squares x 1cm2
Area of “C” squares (cm2) = No. of “C” squares x 0.04cm2
Total Area of Feet (cm2) = Sum of (Area of As + Area of Bs + Area of Cs)

Area when sitting

Repeat calculations above to find area

Mass (Kg) =
Force (N) = Mass x Gravity
Pressure (N/cm2) = 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎

Variables

Manipulated Variable: Area

Responding Variable: Pressure
Control Variable: Force, same person

Sources of Error

● Experimenter may possibly make an error when counting the number of squares to
determine the area
● Results from the “Counting Square Method” is an approximation
PART B: IMPLEMENTATION

Procedure:

1. To find the mass, the balance was set up and was made sure to be at zero.
2. The balance was stood on, and the value was recorded
3. The value of mass(kg) was multiplied by 10N to acquire the value of the Force acting on
the chair when seated and standing, then the value was recorded.
4. Both feet were positioned on the graph paper and the edges of both feet were traced
with a sharp pencil.
5. The graph paper was used to determine the size of the area of both feet.
6. The largest squares were 2cm x 2cm = 4cm2, the next smaller squares were 1cm x 1cm =
1cm2, and the smallest squares were 2mm x 2mm = 0.04cm2.
7. The largest squares were labeled “A” and were then all then counted and multiplied by
4cm2.
8. The smaller squares were labeled “B” and were then all counted and multiplied by 1cm 2.
9. The smallest squares were labeled “C” and were then all counted and multiplied by
0.04cm2.
10. The areas of A, B and C were all added together to get the area of both feet, and was
then recorded.
11. Another graph paper was placed on the chair to obtain the area covered while seated.
12. The graph paper was made to sit on, and an outline of the body in contact with the chair
was carefully traced.
13. Steps 7 to 10 were then repeated.

Results

MASS/(KG) FORCE/(N) AREA/(m2) PRESSURE/(N/m2) or PA

(Massx10N)
SITTING 20.8 208 5.1584 40.32
(SI)
STANDIN 20.8 208 2.5096 82.88
G
(ST)
TABLE SHOWING RESULTS

OUTLINE OF PERSON SITTING ON GRAPH PAPER

OUTLINE OF PERSON STANDING ON GRAPH PAPER

Calculations:

Area of feet
No. of “A” squares = 55 x 4cm2 = 220cm2

No. of “B” squares = 29 x 1cm2 = 29cm2

No. of “C” squares = 49 x 0.04cm2= 1.96cm2

Total area of feet = A+B+C= 250.96cm2 = 2.5096m2

Area of butt
No. of “A” squares = 121 x 4cm2 = 484cm2

No. of “B” squares = 30 x 1cm2 = 30cm2

No. of “C” squares = 46 x 0.04cm2= 1.84cm2

Total area of butt = A+B+C= 515.84cm2 = 5.1584m2

Mass = 20.8 kg
Force (N) = 20.8(kg) x 10N = 208 N
2

Pressure exerted while standing = = 82.88 N/ m

And
 208( 𝑁 )
2.5096 ( 𝑚 2)

Pressure exerted while sitting = 5.1584208((𝑁𝑚)2) = 40.32 N/m2

Discussions:
Pressure is the force exerted per unit area. Pressure is affected by the applying force and the
area2the force is acting on, as can be seen in the formula, pressure = 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 . Its SI unit are Pa
or N/m . The aim of this investigation was to investigate if sitting or standing on the chair exerts
more pressure. Whether sitting or standing, the force acting on the chair remained constant
due to the fact that the person’s mass never changed, neither the gravitational force. However,
the pressure exerted on the chair while standing was greater than when sitting, causing the
chair to break. This was because the force acted on a smaller area of the chair while standing,
than when sitting.

Limitations
● Experimenter may have made an error when the number of squares were counted to
determine the area.
● Results from the “Counting Square Method” was an approximation.

Precautions
● It was ensured that the approximation obtained was within a reasonable range when
using the Counting Square Method.
● It was ensured that the person didn’t shift when standing or sitting on the graph paper.

Reflections:
I want to pursue a degree in Marine Transportation and later become Harbor Pilot or a Deck
Officer on a ship. I chose Physics because of its relevance in my aspiring field of study.
Throughout my physics studies I did learn a lot and developed an appreciation for how matter,
motion, energy, space and time helped in understanding how the universe works. I also learned
how to plan, perform and report scientific experiments.
The ship’s stability and seaworthiness will require the Deck Officer to have a deep
understanding and appreciation for moments and forces acting on the ship. Passage Planning
requires sound knowledge in the principles surrounding motion. Any environmental pollution,
or collisions, will require the officer to be competent in carrying out scientific investigations and
providing reports.
Science on a whole involves accumulating data and understanding observations of our
physical world. Having the data and the understanding is one thing, but to solve everyday
problems will require us to act on what we understand. For example, science has determined
that regular exercises will lower a person’s risk of heart disease. This scientific fact only brings
awareness but will do nothing to your personal health unless it is acted on by actually doing
regular exercises. The first part of solving any problem requires awareness and knowing what
the solutions are – science does that.

Conclusion
Standing exerts more pressure compared to when sitting.