What force does a 200-pound push on a deck's guardrail create at the upper bolt of the post?

When a person applies a force of 200 pounds to a deck's guardrail, this force is subject to mechanical principles that include factors such as leverage and angles of force application. To determine the force exerted at the upper bolt of the guardrail post, it's important to consider how forces are amplified through the design and structure of the guardrail system.

In this scenario, if the guardrail is not vertically oriented but instead installed at an angle or if it incorporates a lever mechanism, the 200-pound force can translate into a greater load at the fastening points, such as the upper bolt of the post. This amplification could arise from the vertical load distribution and the component of the applied force that acts perpendicularly to the bolt.

When analyzing the mechanics involved, the configuration of the rail and the distribution of forces determine how significantly the applied load increases at the upper bolt. If it is modeled correctly — which could be derived from structural engineering principles or specific code requirements in the design of railing systems — the force experienced at the bolt can indeed be calculated as 1,700 pounds.

Thus, the answer D, which states that the force at the upper bolt is 1,700 pounds, reflects a comprehensive understanding of how force loads can multiply