Applications of hydraulic pressure
Hydraulic Lifts and Fluid Power
Blaise Pascal derived a law that explains how people can harness the power of fluids. When you apply pressure to liquid in a confined container, that pressure transmits equally to all other points in the container. According to the law, it’s also possible for a hydraulic system to multiply forces. For instance, a hydraulic arm uses these principles to help you hoist thousands of pounds using your hands. You press down to apply a small force to one part of the jack’s fluid, and the force multiples enough to lift a car.
Hydraulic Braking
You witness hydraulics in action every time you ride in a vehicle or see one pass; car braking systems are among the most common uses of hydraulic machines. A vehicle’s braking system has several critical components, and one of them comes in a bottle or can. Brake fluid, a hydraulic liquid, is so important that brake systems could fail without it. When you press your foot on a brake pedal, a piston and rod in a master cylinder move. This movement exerts force on hydraulic fluid constrained inside brake lines. Because of Pascal’s law, the pressure moves through the lines, presses against another cylinder and causes the vehicle’s brake shoes and pads to contact the disc or drum and slow the wheels down.
