Directions
Read the following questions. Choose the right answer.
There is only ONE correct answer to each question.
A car with a mass of 1000 kg is raised by a hydraulic lift with two pistons whose areas are 0.3 m² and 0.6 m², respectively. What force, in newtons, must be exerted on the smaller piston to raise the car? (Assume that the free-falling acceleration is g = 10 m/sec².)
- 2000
- 5000
- 10000
- 20000
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 5000
Why
The car's weight is 1000×10 = 10000 N, spread over the larger piston (0.6 m²). By Pascal's principle, pressure is equal on both pistons: F/0.3 = 10000/0.6, so F = 10000×0.3/0.6 = 5000 N.