Part 1: Definitions

Write the definitions of these terms and provide an example.

● Pneumatics
○ Pneumatics is a mechanical system that makes use of gas or compressed air.
○ Some examples of pneumatics systems include the brakes on heavy vehicles,
jackhammers, and bicycle pumps. Pneumatic systems are extremely important and if
they didn't exist, these inventions would have to be altered and wouldn’t function as
well.

● Hydraulics
○ Hydraulics is a mechanical task that works with the force of liquid pressure.
○ Hydraulics are very important for our daily lives as many inventions use the system.
Examples of important machines that use hydraulics are cranes, bulldozers, and even
planes. If hydraulic systems didn’t exist, life would be a lot harder with such important
inventions being gone.

● Force
○ A force is a push or pull that can move a stationary object, change the speed of an
object, and can change the direction of an object.
○ The four types of force are push, pull, gravity, and friction. An example of a push is
closing a door and a pull is when you pull someone off of the ground when they are
injured. Next, an example of gravity is when we jump. When we jump, the Earth’s gravity
pulls us back to the centre of the planet. Finally, an example of friction is when you go
skating.

● Piston
○ A piston is a disk or a short cylinder fitting closely within a tube in which it moves up
and down against a liquid or gas.
○ An example of a machine that uses pistons is a car. In a car, pistons are used in the
engine area. Pistons are extremely helpful because, without them, the car would not
work at all, as the engine would not work. If no cars worked, travelling would be a lot
harder, which is why pistons are extremely important.
● Cylinder.
○ A cylinder is a shape that consists of two circles, and a rectangle. Many objects take
the shape of a cylinder. The object is normally hollow when used in science.
○ An example of a cylinder-shaped object that is a necessity is a water filter. Without a
water filter, we would have water that is not safe for drinking and is gross. Another
example of a cylinder-shaped object is a pipe. Pipes are used for plumbing and let
water flow through them which is extremely important. A final object shaped as a
 useful cylinder is a fuse. Fuses are used for electrical work and are extremely useful
and good to use.
● Hoist
○ A hoist is a pulley or rope that can raise something.
○ An example of a machine that uses a hoist is an elevator. An elevator uses a hoist
mechanism to raise and lower the entire elevator and the people inside it.

● Valve
○ A valve is a device that is used for controlling the passage of fluid or air through a
pipe or duct,
○ A machine that uses a valve is a hose. To turn it on or off a house, you need to rotate
the valve.

● Pump
○ A pump is a mechanical device that uses suction or pressure to raise or move
liquids, compress gases or force air into inflatable objects such as tires.
○ An example of a pump is the water pump in your washing machine. This pump helps
drain the washing machine which helps make the entire invention work. This is one of
the many important machines that use pumps.

● Pressure
○ Pressure is the continuous physical force exerted on or against an object by
something in contact with it.
○ An example of pressure is when you drink out of a straw. When you drink out
of a straw, the air pressure present on the liquid of the glass pushes the
liquid into the straw causing it to move upwards and make us drink.

● Pascal's Law
○ Pascal's law states that pressure applied anywhere in a confined
incompressible fluid is transmitted equally in all directions throughout the
fluid.
○ Examples of uses for Pascal's law include hydraulic cranes, lifts, and jacks.
Since Pascal's law states that fluid is transmitted equally in all directions it
can apply to anything that uses liquid to act.
Part 2: Basic Hydraulic or Pneumatic Systems

A) Draw a simple hydraulic system, as shown below. Make sure to include and label the input
piston, output piston, the pipe joining the two pistons, the pressure of the fluid, input force,
and output force.

Part A is done on paper.

B) Explain in simple terms the mechanical advantage of a hydraulic system like this. How can
a small force lift a big car? What is the trade-off in this system? (you are not getting
something for nothing…)

The mechanical advantage of a hydraulic system comes from the pressure of the liquid.
When the Input piston is lowered it pushes the hydraulic fluid through the pipe leading into
the output piston. The small piston is ten times smaller than the large piston.