Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: neilep on 20/07/2009 13:28:08

Title: How Does My Floor Have A Force ?
Post by: neilep on 20/07/2009 13:28:08

Dear Floorologists,

As a sheepy I of course luff to stand on stuff. Standing is my all time favourite thing that I do with my legs in an upright position.


Apparently, when I stand on the floor..the floor is acting upon me with a force !

How come ?..What about when I am not standing on the floor ?..is it still acting with a force ?..as far as I can tell it's just there being a floor !
What is this force ?...or am I the victim of a Floor Force Farce ? *try saying that quickly...i couldn't even type it right*


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Feet Upon the Floor Earlier



Hugs & shmishes



mwah mwah mwah !!


Neil
May The Floorce Be With Ewe
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Title: How Does My Floor Have A Force ?
Post by: JP on 20/07/2009 14:38:15

The top layer of the floor is being pushed up on by the layer below it (and a being pulled up a little bit by the stuff around it).  That layer is pushed up on by the layer below it, and so on, all the way down through the ground and through the earth, until you get to the center of the earth.  There you have the other side of the planet pushing back on your side of the planet, which in turn is holding you up.

Title: How Does My Floor Have A Force ?
Post by: lightarrow on 21/07/2009 09:48:32

Don't know if it could help: the floor is solid so atoms are packed together and not free to move away. There are forces among the atoms, you could think these forces as little springs among them. So, when you stand on the floor, you compress these little springs which, in turn (action-reaction) make a force on you.

Title: How Does My Floor Have A Force ?
Post by: Madidus_Scientia on 21/07/2009 11:00:19

If the floor was not providing an upwards force, then nothing would be counteracting the downward force you exert on the floor due to gravity, and you would fall through the floor.

Title: How Does My Floor Have A Force ?
Post by: lyner on 21/07/2009 12:36:52

The force on your footsies from the floor is a 'reactive' force which goes away when you step away. It is there because you distort the material of the floor, squashing the atoms together, like springs. When you aren't there, the floor returns to its original shape and the forces become balanced again.
If you can't stand that answer will you take it lying down?