Why are the walls of a dam made thicker at the bottom than at the top?

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A To save construction material at the top
B To withstand the higher water pressure at greater depths
C To make the dam look wider
D Because water pressure is highest near the surface

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Answer: B. To withstand the higher water pressure at greater depths

Water pressure is greatest near the bottom of a reservoir due to the weight of the water above. Making the base thicker gives the dam extra strength to hold back this immense sideways push.

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Why are the walls of a dam made thicker at the bottom than at the top?

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