Why does a nail have a pointed tip?

The correct answer is Option 3.

Key Points

• The force acting on a smaller area exerts a larger pressure.

Important Points

• Pressure: The force acting on a unit area of a surface is called pressure.
• Pressure = Force / Area on which it acts
• Note that the area is in the denominator in the above expression.
• So, the smaller the area, the larger the pressure on a surface for the same force.
• The area of the pointed end of the nail is much smaller than that of its head.
• The same force, therefore, produces a pressure sufficient to push the pointed end of the nail into the wooden plank.