How do I calculate the force needed for a hydraulic lift?

In summary, to maintain a load of 28000 N on the large piston with an area of 17 cm^2, a force of 4900 N is required on the small piston with an area of 2.8 cm^2.
  • #1
jrrodri7
31
0

Homework Statement



The small piston of a hydraulic lift has a cross sectional area of (2.8 cm^2), and the large piston connected to it has an area of (17 cm^2). What force of F must be applied to the smaller piston to maintain a load of (28000 N)?


Homework Equations



A_1 * V_1 = A_2 * V_2


The Attempt at a Solution



Since the volumes are the same, I set the A * F to be set equal to each other on both sides and solved...but I'm not seeing something in the unit conversion...Idk what to do.
 
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  • #2
Maybe it would help to think of it as Force/Area. You have the right idea setting it up as a proportion.
 
  • #3
You need to convert cm^2 to m^2

Remember that [itex]1cm=10^{-2}m[/itex] square both sides of that and you will get your conversion.
 
  • #4
OH it'd be F1/A1 = F2/A2, and you I would have to convert to m^2, by X100 but squaring them? you mean make it into flat out (m)?
 
  • #5
[itex]1cm=10^{-2}m \Rightarrow 1cm^{2}=10^{-4}m^2[/itex]..squaring like that to get the conversion.
 
  • #6
Why convert, rock.freak667? The units in the area will cancel. OP will be left with just Newtons.
 
  • #7
oh both are in cm^2...my bad, I read it wrong, I thought one was in m^2 and the other was in cm^2..No need to convert then.
 

1. What is force and how is it measured?

Force is a physical quantity that can cause an object to accelerate or change direction. It is measured in units of newtons (N) and can be calculated by multiplying an object's mass (in kilograms) by its acceleration (in meters per second squared).

2. How does force relate to motion?

Force is directly related to an object's motion through Newton's Second Law of Motion, which states that the net force acting on an object is equal to its mass multiplied by its acceleration. This means that the greater the force applied to an object, the greater its acceleration will be.

3. What is the difference between balanced and unbalanced forces?

When the forces acting on an object are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, they are considered balanced forces. This results in a net force of zero and the object will remain at rest or continue moving at a constant velocity. Unbalanced forces, on the other hand, result in a net force that is not equal to zero and will cause an object to accelerate or change direction.

4. How does friction affect force and motion?

Friction is a force that opposes motion between two surfaces in contact. It can either decrease or increase the overall force acting on an object, depending on the direction of motion. For example, when you push a book across a table, friction acts in the opposite direction, making it more difficult for the book to slide. However, when you are trying to stop a moving object, friction acts in the same direction, helping to slow it down.

5. What is continuity and how is it related to force?

In physics, continuity refers to the idea that a physical quantity, such as force, should not change abruptly but rather change smoothly and continuously. This means that when a force is applied to an object, it should not suddenly jump to a different value, but gradually increase or decrease. This principle helps to explain the behavior of objects in motion and is an important concept in understanding the laws of motion.

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