Page 1 of 1
Minor hydraulics quesiton
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 7:50 pm
by saefroch
If have a setup that looks rather like a funnel, with a large diameter piston on one side and a much smaller diameter piston on the other, and the volume between filled with an incompressible liquid, will applying a force of F to the large piston towards the smaller piston result in the same force F on the smaller piston?
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 7:56 pm
by ramses
the pressure in the fluid will be the same. If you apply 100 lbs to a 4 square inch piston, the pressure in the fluid will be 100/4 = 25 PSI.
If you have that act on a 1 square inch piston, the force on that piston will be 25*1=25 pounds.
If the 4 square inch piston moves 1", the displaced volume will be 4*1=4 cubic inches,
if you have that move the 1 square inch piston, it will move 4/1=4 linear inches.
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 7:58 pm
by saefroch
So no, then. Thanks!
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 8:45 pm
by mark.f
Yup. This is how you are able to lift your car with the tiny pump in a hydraulic jack, and, even more interestingly, how pressure boosters operate.
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:45 pm
by Technician1002