Resultant of Normal Stresses on Inclined Plane  
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The figure shows a prismatic bar with a load of magnitude P on the left end of the bar directed away from the end surface. An inclined section through the bar labeled b b is shown. The stresses on the inclined surface, labeled sigma, are directed to the right.

Because the stresses are the same throughout the entire bar, the stresses on the inclined surface must be uniformly distributed.