if you push a pin and a barbecue stick against your skin with equal force, which do you think will cut your skin first? what determines it? explain.
the pin because it has a smaller surface area
If you push a pin and a barbecue stick against your skin with equal force, it is the sharpness and surface area of the objects, along with the pressure applied, that determine which one is more likely to cut your skin first.
A pin typically has a smaller surface area and is much sharper compared to a barbecue stick. Due to its small size and sharp tip, the pin can apply more localized force onto a smaller area of your skin. This concentrated force can result in the pin easily puncturing and cutting through the skin.
On the other hand, a barbecue stick usually has a larger surface area and is relatively blunt compared to a pin. The larger surface area distributes the applied force over a wider area of the skin, which reduces the likelihood of penetration. Moreover, the bluntness of the barbecue stick makes it less likely to penetrate the skin quickly.
Therefore, in this scenario, the pin is more likely to cut your skin first because of its smaller size, sharper point, and ability to apply concentrated force to a smaller area of the skin.
To determine which object, a pin or a barbecue stick, would cut your skin first when pushed against with equal force, we need to consider two factors: pressure and surface area.
Pressure plays a significant role in determining whether an object can penetrate the skin. Pressure is defined as force divided by the area over which the force is applied. Therefore, if both the pin and the barbecue stick exert the same force against your skin, the one with a smaller surface area will have a higher pressure.
The surface area is the area of contact between the object and your skin. If we assume that the pin has a smaller surface area compared to the barbecue stick, the pressure exerted by the pin will be higher due to the force being distributed over a smaller area. Since pressure is directly related to the ability of an object to penetrate the skin, the pin, with its smaller surface area and higher pressure, would likely cut your skin first.
However, it is important to note that this explanation assumes that the objects are equally sharp. A sharper object can overcome the resistance of the skin more easily, even if it has a larger surface area.
It is also worth mentioning that the human skin is variable in thickness, and different areas of the body have different levels of sensitivity and resistance. So, other factors such as the specific location where the objects are applied, the angle of contact, the force applied, and the individual's pain tolerance could also influence the outcome.