A house is supported equally on 18 pilings each with a 0.5 m² area at the base.The soil can withstand 5 psi.What could be the maximum mass of the house? A)3.2 × 10⁴ kg B)6.3 × 10⁴ kg C)8.0 × 10⁴ kg D)1.6 × 10⁴ kg

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The total area of the pilings is 18 * 0.5 m² = 9 m². Converting 5 psi to pascals (1 psi = 6894.76 Pa), the soil can withstand 5 * 6894.76 = 34473.8 Pa. The maximum force is 34473.8 Pa * 9 m² = 310264.2 N. Using F = mg, the maximum mass is 310264.2 N / 9.81 m/s² ≈ 31630 kg, which is closest to 3.2 × 10⁴ kg.

A House Is Supported Equally on 18 Pilings Each with a 0.5