Shoe heel impact
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laurbar
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2012 5:29 pm
- Occupation: student
- Project Question: I plan to measure impact of different shoe heels on wooden floors. I will test the heels by walking on a thick piece of styrofoam and check the depth of the imprint. Also, I will use the formula: average pressure P exerted by a normal (perpendicular) force F on an area A is P = F/A on each shoe. It seems there should be another way to measure the pressure of my shoes' impact. Do you have any suggestions?
- Project Due Date: 1/20/2012
- Project Status: I am conducting my experiment
Shoe heel impact
Do you have any suggestions for measuring the impact of shoe heels on a floor?
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laurbar
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2012 5:29 pm
- Occupation: student
- Project Question: I plan to measure impact of different shoe heels on wooden floors. I will test the heels by walking on a thick piece of styrofoam and check the depth of the imprint. Also, I will use the formula: average pressure P exerted by a normal (perpendicular) force F on an area A is P = F/A on each shoe. It seems there should be another way to measure the pressure of my shoes' impact. Do you have any suggestions?
- Project Due Date: 1/20/2012
- Project Status: I am conducting my experiment
Re: Shoe heel impact
This was my original question but couldn't find it.
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deleted-71882
- Former Expert
- Posts: 338
- Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2011 5:48 pm
- Occupation: retired physicist
- Project Question: n/a
- Project Due Date: n/a
- Project Status: Not applicable
Re: Shoe heel impact
Hello laurbar,
Electronic sensors for measuring pressure and the associated recording devices would give you the exact results you want, but such devices are quite expensive. I think the idea you mentioned, to "test the heels by walking on a thick piece of styrofoam and check the depth of the imprint" is a good idea. I don't have any better ideas for an inexpensive measurement. Is there some reason you've abandoned this idea?
Good luck, WW
Electronic sensors for measuring pressure and the associated recording devices would give you the exact results you want, but such devices are quite expensive. I think the idea you mentioned, to "test the heels by walking on a thick piece of styrofoam and check the depth of the imprint" is a good idea. I don't have any better ideas for an inexpensive measurement. Is there some reason you've abandoned this idea?
Good luck, WW
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laurbar
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2012 5:29 pm
- Occupation: student
- Project Question: I plan to measure impact of different shoe heels on wooden floors. I will test the heels by walking on a thick piece of styrofoam and check the depth of the imprint. Also, I will use the formula: average pressure P exerted by a normal (perpendicular) force F on an area A is P = F/A on each shoe. It seems there should be another way to measure the pressure of my shoes' impact. Do you have any suggestions?
- Project Due Date: 1/20/2012
- Project Status: I am conducting my experiment
Re: Shoe heel impact
Thank you for your response. I am going to stick to the styrofoam test and use the formula for pressure. I am also going to wear heels on a piece of hardwood floor and check for scratches.

