Pressure as force per unit area

Steps:

• Calculate total weight: 1600 kg × 10 N/kg = 16000 N.
• Force per tire: 16000 N / 4 = 4000 N.
• Pressure per tire: 4000 N / 100 cm² = 40 N/cm².

Why C is correct:

• Pressure formula P = F/A yields 40 N/cm², matching the calculated value.

Why the others are wrong:

• A: 4 N/cm² – divides total weight by total area (400 cm²) but misapplies per-tire context.
• B: 16 N/cm² – uses mass per tire (400 kg) instead of weight, ignoring g.
• D: 160 N/cm² – applies total weight to one tire's area, ignoring distribution.

Final answer: C