Question

A 500 N weight sits on the small piston of a hydraulic machine. The small piston has area 2.0 cm2. If the large piston has area 40 cm2, how much weight can the large piston support?
a. 25N
b. 500N
c. 1000N
d. 10000N
e. 40000N

Answer 1

Answer:

d. 10000N

Explanation:

When a force ($F_1$) is exerted on the smaller area piston ($A_1$), the pressure that originates therein is transmitted to the larger area piston($A_2$). According to Pascal's principle the pressure on the smallest piston ($P_1=\frac{F_1}{A_1}$) will be equal to the pressure on the largest piston ($P_2=\frac{F_2}{A_2}$):

$\frac{F_1}{A_1}=\frac{F_2}{A_2}\\F_2=F_1\frac{A_2}{A_1}\\F_2=500N\frac{40cm}{2cm}\\F_2=10000N$