A hydraulic press has one piston of diameter 2.0 cm and the other piston of diameter 8.0 cm. What force must be applied to the smaller piston to obtain a force of 1600 N at the larger piston:
A) 6.25 N
B) 25 N
C) 100 N
D) 400 N
E) 1600 N

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The force applied is proportional to the area of the pistons. The area ratio is (8/2)^2 = 16. Therefore, the force needed is 1600 N / 16 = 100 N.

A Hydraulic Press Has One Piston of Diameter 2