A 500-N weight sits on the small piston of a hydraulic machine.The small piston has an area of 2.0 cm².If the large piston has an area of 40 cm²,how much weight can the large piston support? Assume the pistons each have negligible weight.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The principle of a hydraulic system is based on Pascal's law, which states that pressure applied to a confined fluid is transmitted undiminished throughout the fluid. The pressure applied by the small piston is equal to the force divided by the area, $P = \frac{F}{A}$. For the small piston, $P = \frac{500\,N}{2\,cm^2}$. Since the pressure is the same on the larger piston, the force that the large piston can support is $F = P \times A = \frac{500\,N}{2\,cm^2} \times 40\,cm^2 = 10000\,N$.

A 500-N Weight Sits on the Small Piston of a Hydraulic