Physics · May / June 2025 · Paper 12 · Question 11

A hammer hits a nail into a piece of wood. The weight of the nail is negligible. The hammer exerts a force F_H and a pressure p_H on the nail. The nail exerts a force F_W and a pressure p_w on the wood. How do these forces and pressures compare?

1. AF_W = F_H; p_w > p_H
2. BF_W = F_H; p_w < p_H
3. CF_W > F_H; p_w > p_H
4. DF_W > F_H; p_w < p_H

As printed in the paper