There is a picture of a brick lying face down and one standing straight up. The question asks: Is each brick exerting the same force? Explain.
I know that they are exerting the same force, but I don't understand why and how to explain it?
Why don't you post this under a physics banner? This is more a physics question than a chemistry question. I would answer that F = m*a. Since m is the same and a is the same (it isn't moving) then F must be the same. But I would feel better if you got your answer from someone not pulling answers out of a hat.
Well I'm in Chemistry that's why I put it under that :/
To determine if the two bricks are exerting the same force, we need to understand the concept of force itself. Force is a measure of the interaction between two objects, or in this case, between the bricks and the surface they are resting on.
When a brick is lying face down, it is in contact with the surface along a larger area. The weight of the brick is distributed over this larger surface, resulting in less pressure on any given point. This means that the force exerted by the brick on the surface is spread out.
On the other hand, when a brick is standing straight up, it is in contact with the surface at a single point, known as a point of contact. The weight of the brick is concentrated at this point, resulting in higher pressure on that area. This means that the force exerted by the brick on the surface is focused.
However, while the pressure and distribution of force are different, the magnitude of the force itself remains the same for both bricks. This is due to Newton's third law of motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In this case, the force exerted by the brick on the surface is balanced by the reactive force exerted by the surface on the brick.
So, to answer the question, yes, both bricks are exerting the same force despite the differences in pressure and distribution.