A student conducting an experiment uses an aluminium cylinder of weight 180N. The cylinder has a circular base of radius 4cm. During the experiment the student places the cylinder on a hardwood board in two ways: first on its base, and then on its curved side so that it makes contact along its full height of 20cm with the board. Assume the line of contact in the second case can be treated as a rectangle of length 20cm and width equal to the cylinder’s diameter.
(i) Calculate the pressure exerted on the board when the cylinder rests on its base.
(ii) Calculate the pressure when the cylinder is laid on its side as described.
(iii) If the hardwood board can bear a maximum pressure of 4×104Pa without indentation, state with reasons whether either arrangement will damage the board.