Pascal's Principle Lab Idea for AP Physics BC

[aphan9]

hi, I'm new to this forum and i hope that you guys can help me with this and also in the future, i am currently taking ap physics bc.

i need an idea for a lab on pascal principle (F2/A2) = (F1/A1), i was thinking about replicating a hydraulic car lift, but how would you measure the force?

thanks

 

[wysard]

hmm... For my son's grade 5 project we used a 1L skinny plastic water bottle connected to a regular 2L pop bottle. We made pistons with the binary acrylic you can buy at most hobby shops. Then connected the two bottles at the bottom. Since the surface areas of the small bottle to the large one, when mostly filled with water and then the pistons were installed you pushed the little piston 3cm and the big one in the pop bottle went up 1 cm. Worked great.

 

[Kurdt]

One could use different masses on each 'piston'. This way the force would simply be the weight of each mass.

 

[aphan9]

that sounds cool, i'll give it a try
does anyone know if there is any other application of pascal's principle besides those involving pistons-like objects?
btw what is binary acrylic?