M3 Forces 2 (Forces and Pressure)

Hydraulic machines
Recap on Pressure in Liquids:

Fill in the gaps by crossing out the incorrect phrases:

✤ Liquids will always (flow to take the shape of their container/ keep the same shape) no
matter what container you use.

✤ If you have a fixed amount of liquid, then its volume (can change / will always stays the
same) when pressure is applied to it.

✤ The pressure in a fluid (acts in all directions / acts in the direction of the applied force).

✤ If a constant force acts throughout a liquid, the pressure (can vary / stays the same)
throughout the liquid.
Hydraulic machines:

A machine that uses __________ to transmit a

force is called a __________ ___________.

The pressure in the liquid is the ___________

everywhere in the system.

The simplest type of hydraulic machine is made

of two ___________ connected by a
_____________________ pipe.

If one piston is pushed, the ___________ is

transmitted through the liquid and the
other piston moves.

Hydraulic brakes on cars work like this!

Hydraulic systems use the principle
that pressure is ________________
throughout a liquid.

They are used to transfer __________

from one part of a machine to another without linking the parts mechanically.

All hydraulic systems use two pistons linked via a pipe carrying a special oil called
__________ __________.
M3 Forces 2 (Forces and Pressure)

Calculations in Hydraulic Systems:

The diagram shows a __________ syringe A

connected by a tube to a _________ syringe B.
They are filled with ________________.

If piston A is pushed, the __________ is

transmitted from piston A to piston B.

The pressure is the __________ at both ends:

• At piston A, it is caused by a __________ force acting over a __________ area.
• At piston B, the pressure acts on a __________ area, exerting a __________ force!

The force is __________.

Example – Hydraulic Disc Brakes

Study the diagram. How do you think this hydraulic system works?
Write down your thoughts!
(What if the pistons at the brake disc have twice the area of the master piston at the foot
pedal how would that affect the force?)
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M3 Forces 2 (Forces and Pressure)

Question on a Hydraulic Car Jack

1. On the diagram draw and label arrows to show the direction in which each of the
following forces act:
❑ The weight of the car acting on its piston
❑ The force exerted by the mechanic on her piston
❑ The hydraulic force of the liquid acting on the car’s piston

2. The area underneath piston A is 0.1m2, and the area underneath piston B is 10m2.
Meg applies a force of 20N on piston A.
a. What is the pressure on the liquid at position A?
Pressure = force/area
Pressure = _____ / _____
Pressure = ______ N/cm2

b. What is the force exerted by piston B?

Force = Pressure x Area
Force - _______ x _______
Force = _________N
M3 Forces 2 (Forces and Pressure)

Exam style question:

The diagram below shows a container filled with a liquid.

At each end of the container there is a piston.

Piston A has a smaller area than piston B.

(a) (i) Rebekah pushes on the pedal. This produces a force of

200 N on piston A. Calculate the pressure that piston
A exerts on the liquid.
Give the unit.

..........................................................................................

.........................................................................................

........................................................................................ (2 marks)

(ii) The liquid in the container exerts the same pressure on piston B. Use this pressure to
calculate the force on piston B.

...............................................................................................................

.................................................................................................... N (1 mark)

(b) Rebekah set up a different experiment as shown below. She measured the volume of the liquid
and the air in the cylinders before and after a 200 g load was added to the piston.

(i) When the loads were added to the pistons, the volume of the liquid did not
change but the volume of the air decreased. Explain why this happened.

...............................................................................................................
M3 Forces 2 (Forces and Pressure)

............................................................................................................... ( 1 mark)

(ii) The diagram at the top of the page represents the way the brake system of
a car works. The brake pedal pushes piston A. Piston B pushes the brakes on.
If air bubbles get into the liquid, the brakes do not work properly. Explain why.
Use the diagrams above to help you.

...............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................... ( 1 mark)

Mark scheme

(a) (i) • 100

accept ‘200 ÷ 2.0’ (1)

• N/cm. (1)

accept ‘106 N/m2’ or ‘106 Pa’ for two marks

(ii) 800
accept ‘100 × 8’
accept the numerical answer to a i × 8. (1)
the unit is not required for the mark

(b) (i) any one from (1)

• air or gas can be compressed

accept ‘gases are easier to compress’
‘air or gas provides less resistance’ is insufficient

• water or liquids cannot be compressed

• gaps between particles of

accept ‘atoms can be compressed together’
air or gas can be reduced

(ii) any one from (1)

• less force would be transmitted to the brakes

accept ‘the brakes have less effect’
‘the brakes are spongy’ is insufficient

• less pressure at B
accept ‘less pressure could be produced’
accept ‘less or no resistance to the brakes’
M3 Forces 2 (Forces and Pressure)

• piston B would not move

accept ‘the air bubbles could be compressed’