Question

In a hydraulic jack, the pipe below the load has an area of 4 m2, and the pipe through which the input force transmits has an area of 0.1 m2. What input force is necessary to balance a load of 9,000 N?

Answer 1

Explanation:

Since the pipe is an enclosed container, we would apply Pascal's law which states that a pressure applied to a fluid in a closed container is transmitted equally to every point of the fluid and the walls of the container,

This means that pressure at input = pressure at output

Pressure = force /area

Input force = unknown

Input area = 0.1 m²

Output force = 9000N

Output area = 4m²

Therefore

Input force/0.1 = 9000/4

Input force = 0.1 × 9000 /4 = 225N

Answer 2

The input force needed is 225 Newtons

Explanation:

From hydraulic pressure laws, we have that the pressure at the same level throughout the body of a fluid is equal.

This means that for the Hydraulic Jack, input pressure = output pressure

Recall,Pressure is a ratio of force and area

i.e pressure = Force / Area

For the hydraulic jack to work properly, the pressure at the input end must be equal to the pressure at the output end.

`\frac{F_(1)}{A{1}} = (F_(2))/(A_(2))`

`(9000)/(4)=(Force)/(0.1)`

From this we can compute that the Input force = 225 Newtons