Gas Pressure Acting On Different Objects

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SUMMARY

Air pressure acts uniformly on different shapes of objects, such as a cylinder and a cone, when subjected to the same pressure, in this case, 100 PSI. The force exerted by the pressure is perpendicular to the surface of the pistons, and while the cone shape may seem to distribute force differently, the total force acting along the axis of the cylinder remains the same for both shapes. This conclusion is derived from the understanding that forces are vector quantities and can be resolved into components, allowing for integration of pressure across the surface area.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics principles, particularly pressure and force.
  • Familiarity with vector quantities and their components.
  • Knowledge of integration as it applies to physical forces.
  • Basic comprehension of piston mechanics and shapes.
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  • Research the principles of fluid dynamics and pressure distribution.
  • Study vector decomposition in physics to better understand force components.
  • Explore the mechanics of different piston shapes and their applications.
  • Learn about integration techniques in physics for calculating forces over surfaces.
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Physics students, engineers, and anyone interested in understanding the effects of air pressure on various object shapes and their mechanical implications.

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Does air pressure act the same on all objects?
Imagine you have two pistons, each with a 100PSI of air acting on one side of them.
One piston is a cylinder, naturally.
The other piston is a cone shape.

Do both pistons have the same amount of force pushing them to the right (see; picture)?
Or does the cone have less force pushing it to the right because it also has some force pushing it up, down, diaganol etc etc because of the cone shape?

Thanks.
 

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Thanks, I think I just needed an analogy to put into perspective. Cheers.
 
Pressure acting on an object produces a force that is perpendicular (or "normal") to the surface. Forces are vector quantities, so the force acting on the surface at any point can be broken down into its various components to determine a force in the direction along the axis of the cylinder. You can then integrate the pressure across the entire suface in the direction along the cylinder axis. When you do that, you'll find both pistons have the same total force acting on them in that direction.
 

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