Question

Most cars have hydraulic brakes. When a person pushes on the brake pedal, a force is applied to a small piston with a cross-sectional area of 1.8 cm2. By Pascal's Principle, the pressure is transmitted through the brake fluid to two larger pistons (each with an area of 8 cm2). The larger pistons push on the brake pads and the brake pads rub against the rotor (which stops the car). When a force of 7.6 N is applied by the brake pedal to the small piston, what force (in N) does each of the larger pistons apply to the rotor?

Answer 1

`P_2 = 33.8 N`

Step-by-step explanation:

By Pascal's law when we push the small piston by some force then our force will transmit same pressure in all direction

So we will have

`(P_1)/(A_1) = (P_2)/(A_2)`

here we know that

`P_1 = 7.6 N`

`A_1 = 1.8 cm^2`

`A_2 = 8 cm^2`

now we will have

`P_2 = (A_2)/(A_1) P_1`

`P_2 = (8)/(1.8)(7.6)`

`P_2 = 33.8 N`