A 13,000-N vehicle is to be lifted by a 25-cm diameter hydraulic piston. What force needs to be applied to a 5.0 cm diameter piston to accomplish this? Assume the pistons each have negligible weight.
A) 5200 N
B) 520 N
C) 2600 N
D) 260 N

Question

A  13,000-N vehicle is to be lifted by a  25-cm  diameter hydraulic piston. What force needs to be applied to a  5.0 cm diameter piston to accomplish this? Assume the pistons each have negligible weight.
A)  5200 N
B)  520 N
C)  2600 N
D)  260 N

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The force applied to the smaller piston is determined by the ratio of the areas of the two pistons. The area of a circle is πr², so the force ratio is (5/2)² / (25/2)² = 1/25. Therefore, the force needed is 13,000 N / 25 = 520 N.

A 13,000-N Vehicle Is to Be Lifted by a