You can safely stand on the overhanging end of a heavy plank that rests on a table. How much overhang depends on your mass and the plank's mass. If you can stand on the end of a plank that overhangs the edge of the supporting table 1/4 its total length, how massive is the plank compared to your mass?
A)1/2
B)the same
C)1 and 1/2 times
D)twice
E)4 times

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since you can safely stand on the end of the plank that overhangs 1/4 of its length, it means that the center of mass of the plank is still over the table, ensuring stability. This implies that the mass of the plank must be distributed uniformly. If the mass of the plank were greater than your own mass, the center of mass would be further away from the table, making it less stable and unsafe to stand on the overhanging end. Therefore, the mass of the plank must be the same as your mass for it to remain stable with an overhang of 1/4 of its length.

You Can Safely Stand on the Overhanging End of a Heavy