Question

Why does the school bag have broad shoulder straps?
A. To increase pressure
B. To decrease pressure
C. As a fashion trend
D. None of these

Answer 1

Hint: Pressure is the ratio of force and area in which the force applies. Pressure is directly proportional to the force and inversely proportional to the area.

Complete answer:.
*When the bag company stitches the bag, it makes it comfortable for the users and also looks for a fashion to attract the customers. Before we go to physics, we can answer this question. We know small children are using these school bags. It must feel light for them and it should not put more weight on them. So from the options given option B is correct.
*Now we see it in a physics view. We know that $pressure = \dfrac{{force}}{{area}}$.From this equation we can say that pressure is inversely proportional to the area. If we increase the area in contact, it reduces pressure. If we decrease the area in contact, it increases pressure. Students don’t have strong shoulders so if we increase the area of the strap more, it will reduce the pressure of the bag.

Hence, the correct option is option B.

Note:
(i) We can see some other broad strap shoulder bags too like travelling bags, camouflage bags for soldiers because in all these cases, we need to carry more stuff. To reduce the pressure given by the weight, it was manufactured with broad straps.
(ii) These broad shoulder straps are more helpful to distribute the weight of the bag across all over the shoulders. It avoids the weight of concentrating on a particular area. If it would like that, it leads to pain or some other problems.