A hydraulic press has its input piston depressed 20 centimeters while the output piston is raised 1 centimeter. A 1-newton input can lift a load of
A)1 N.
B)10 N.
C)15 N.
D)20 N.
E)none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The hydraulic press operates on the principle of conservation of energy. The work done on the input piston is equal to the work done by the output piston. Since the input piston moves 20 times the distance of the output piston, the force exerted by the output piston is 20 times greater than the input force. Therefore, a 1-newton input can lift a load of 20 newtons.

A Hydraulic Press Has Its Input Piston Depressed 20 Centimeters