If a dentist's chair weighs 1600 N and is raised by a large piston with cross sectional area 75.0 cm², what force must be exerted on a small piston of cross-sectional area 3.75 cm² to lift the chair?

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Chapter1: Units, Trigonometry. And Vectors
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**Problem Statement:**

If a dentist’s chair weighs 1600 N and is raised by a large piston with a cross-sectional area of 75.0 cm², what force must be exerted on a small piston of cross-sectional area 3.75 cm² to lift the chair?

**Explanation:**

This physics problem is related to Pascal's Principle, which states that pressure applied to a confined fluid is transmitted undiminished in all directions throughout the fluid. By using pistons of different sizes, a small force can be transformed into a larger force.

To solve this, you can use the formula for pressure:

\[ \text{Pressure} (P) = \frac{\text{Force} (F)}{\text{Area} (A)} \]

Since the pressures are equal, you can equate the two:

\[ \frac{F_1}{A_1} = \frac{F_2}{A_2} \]

Where:
- \( F_1 \) is the force exerted by the smaller piston.
- \( A_1 \) is the area of the smaller piston (3.75 cm²).
- \( F_2 \) is the force exerted by the larger piston (1600 N).
- \( A_2 \) is the area of the larger piston (75.0 cm²).

Rearranging for \( F_1 \):

\[ F_1 = \frac{F_2 \times A_1}{A_2} \]

Plug in the given values to find the force needed on the small piston.
Transcribed Image Text:**Problem Statement:** If a dentist’s chair weighs 1600 N and is raised by a large piston with a cross-sectional area of 75.0 cm², what force must be exerted on a small piston of cross-sectional area 3.75 cm² to lift the chair? **Explanation:** This physics problem is related to Pascal's Principle, which states that pressure applied to a confined fluid is transmitted undiminished in all directions throughout the fluid. By using pistons of different sizes, a small force can be transformed into a larger force. To solve this, you can use the formula for pressure: \[ \text{Pressure} (P) = \frac{\text{Force} (F)}{\text{Area} (A)} \] Since the pressures are equal, you can equate the two: \[ \frac{F_1}{A_1} = \frac{F_2}{A_2} \] Where: - \( F_1 \) is the force exerted by the smaller piston. - \( A_1 \) is the area of the smaller piston (3.75 cm²). - \( F_2 \) is the force exerted by the larger piston (1600 N). - \( A_2 \) is the area of the larger piston (75.0 cm²). Rearranging for \( F_1 \): \[ F_1 = \frac{F_2 \times A_1}{A_2} \] Plug in the given values to find the force needed on the small piston.
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