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As Experiment A, a physics teacher places a pencil on the edge of a desk as pictured in the first illustration below. She presses down firmly with her finger near the tip of the pencil and asks a student to press down firmly on the end with the eraser. As Experiment B, she then moves the pencil so that it is positioned as seen in the second illustration. Again, she presses down firmly near the pencil's tip and the student presses down firmly on the end with the eraser.Which of the following best describes the physics of what should happen in each experiment?A. In Experiment A, the pencil will flip and fall from the table because the pressure applied by the student is further from the pencil's fulcrum, giving the student more mechanical advantage; in Experiment B, the pencil will stay in place because the pressure applied by the teacher is further from the fulcrum, giving her more mechanical advantage.B. In Experiment A, the pencil will flip and fall from the table because the teacher is applying less force to the pencil as measured in pounds per square centimeter, irrespective of additional forces such as gravity and friction; in Experiment B, the pencil will stay in place because the teacher is applying more force in pounds per square centimeter, irrespective of additional forces such as gravity and friction.C. In Experiment A, the pencil will flip and fall from the table due to centrifugal force; in Experiment B, the pencil will stay in place because of friction caused by the increased surficial contact with the table.D. In both Experiment A and Experiment B, the pencil will stay in place regardless of its position because the teacher and student are each applying relatively equal amounts of pressure; however, it is likely that the pencil may break, as it is not designed to tolerate this level of lateral force.
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