If you sit on an ordinary 4-legged chair, which of the following is true?
A)As long as you know your weight and the point at which it acts on the chair, you can calculate the forces exerted by all four chair legs on the floor.
B)As long as you know your weight and the point at which it acts on the chair, you can calculate the forces exerted by all four chair legs on the floor, but only if your own feet are not also on the floor.
C)This is an indeterminate situation, and the forces of the chair legs on the floor cannot be uniquely calculated.
D)This is an indeterminate situation, and the forces of the chair legs on the floor cannot be uniquely calculated without knowing how your weight is distributed on the chair.
E)This is an indeterminate situation, and the forces of the chair legs on the floor cannot be uniquely calculated without knowing how the chair deforms due to your weight.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The forces on the chair legs depend on how the chair deforms under the weight, which affects how the weight is distributed among the legs.

If You Sit on an Ordinary 4-Legged Chair, Which of the Following