What happens to the books on the pile when the book at the bottom is removed?
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer:
When the book at the bottom of a pile is removed, the books on top will fall down or collapse.
300 Words Explanation:
Books in a pile are stacked one on top of the other. The stability of the pile depends on the support from the bottom book. When the bottom book is removed, the support holding up the other books disappears. This causes the pile to collapse downward due to the force of gravity.
Gravity is a natural force that pulls objects toward the center of the Earth. In the case of a book pile, each book presses down on the one beneath it. The book at the very bottom supports the entire weight of all the books above it. When that support is taken away, the books above have no foundation, and they are pulled down by gravity.
What happens next depends on several factors like:
- How neatly the books are stacked (if they are aligned or leaning),
- Friction between the surfaces of the books,
- Speed and direction in which the bottom book is removed.
If the bottom book is pulled out quickly, the upper books may fall straight down or topple to the side. If the books were balanced unevenly, the stack might tip over in a particular direction. In any case, the result is that the pile becomes unstable and falls.
This concept is not only important in understanding everyday events like falling book piles but also applies to structures in engineering and architecture. Removing a critical supporting element (like a foundation or column) can cause the entire structure to collapse.
In summary, removing the bottom book removes the foundation, leading the rest of the books to fall due to gravity and lack of support.