To determine the pressure that a 7.5 kg block exerts on the tabletop, follow these steps:
1. Identify the known values:
- Mass ([tex]\(m\)[/tex]) of the block: 7.5 kg
- Surface area ([tex]\(A\)[/tex]) of the block's bottom: [tex]\(0.6 \, \text{m}^2\)[/tex]
- Gravitational acceleration ([tex]\(g\)[/tex]): [tex]\(9.81 \, \text{m/s}^2\)[/tex] (standard value on the surface of the Earth)
2. Calculate the force ([tex]\(F\)[/tex]) exerted by the block:
The force due to gravity acting on the block is given by:
[tex]\[
F = m \times g
\][/tex]
Substituting the known values:
[tex]\[
F = 7.5 \, \text{kg} \times 9.81 \, \text{m/s}^2 = 73.575 \, \text{N}
\][/tex]
3. Calculate the pressure ([tex]\(P\)[/tex]) exerted by the block:
Pressure is defined as the force exerted per unit area:
[tex]\[
P = \frac{F}{A}
\][/tex]
Substituting the values of force and surface area, we get:
[tex]\[
P = \frac{73.575 \, \text{N}}{0.6 \, \text{m}^2} \approx 122.625 \, \text{Pa}
\][/tex]
Thus, the pressure exerted by the block on the tabletop is approximately 122.625 Pa.
Among the given options, the closest value is:
B. 122.5 Pa
Therefore, the best answer is:
B. 122.5 Pa
