Final answer:
Using Pascal's principle and the relationship between the force applied and the areas of the cylinders, one can calculate the force exerted by the master cylinder in a hydraulic lift or the force generated at the wheel or slave cylinders due to brake application.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the force exerted by the master cylinder in a hydraulic lift or the force created at the wheel or slave cylinders due to brake application, we must use Pascal's principle. This principle states that pressure applied to an enclosed fluid is transmitted undiminished to every portion of the fluid and the walls of its container. The formula derived from this principle is F1/A1 = F2/A2, where F1 and F2 are the forces applied on cylinders 1 and 2, and A1 and A2 are the areas of the respective cylinders.
First, we calculate the areas using the formula for the area of a circle, A = π(d/2)^2. Then, we apply the values to the formula F1/A1 = F2/A2 to find the unknown forces. For the hydraulic lift supporting a 2000-kg car, the force exerted on the master cylinder is calculated, and for the brake system, F2 at each wheel or slave cylinder is found.
For example, if the question asked to calculate the force at each wheel cylinder given that a force of 500 N is exerted on the pedal cylinder with a diameter of 0.500 cm and the wheel cylinder has a diameter of 2.50 cm, we would calculate the areas (A1 for the pedal cylinder and A2 for the wheel cylinder) and solve for F2 using the ratio provided by Pascal's principle.