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| Step | Derivation / Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[a = \pi r_s^2\] | The area of the small piston is the area of a circle with radius \(r_s = 0.12\,\text{m}\). |
| 2 | \[A = \pi r_L^2\] | The area of the large piston is the area of a circle with radius \(r_L = 0.65\,\text{m}\). |
| 3 | \[\frac{f}{a} = \frac{F}{A}\] | For equilibrium the pressure transmitted through the incompressible fluid is the same on both pistons (Pascal’s principle). |
| 4 | \[\frac{\Delta f}{a} = \frac{\Delta F}{A}\] | We compare only the changes in force while the pistons remain in equilibrium, so the pressure change must also match. |
| 5 | \[\Delta F = \frac{A}{a}\,\Delta f\] | Solving the proportionality from Step 4 for the required change in \(F\). |
| 6 | \[\frac{A}{a} = \left(\frac{r_L}{r_s}\right)^2 = \left(\frac{0.65}{0.12}\right)^2 = 29.34\] | The ratio of the areas is the square of the ratio of the radii since \(A \propto r^2\). |
| 7 | \[\Delta F = 29.34 \times 14\,\text{N} = 4.11 \times 10^2\,\text{N}\] | Multiply the area ratio by the given increment \(\Delta f = 14\,\text{N}\) to find the needed increase in \(F\). |
| 8 | \[\boxed{\Delta F \approx 4.1 \times 10^2\,\text{N}}\] | Rounded to two significant figures. |
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The \( 70 \) \( \text{kg} \) student in the figure balances a \( 1200 \) \( \text{kg} \) elephant on a hydraulic lift. Assume that it is filled with oil, which is incompressible and has a density \( \rho = 900 \) \( \text{kg/m}^3 \). What is the diameter of the piston the student is standing on? Assume each piston has a cylindrical shape, i.e., a circular cross-sectional area. Note: The two pistons are at the same height. Also, the diameter of the wider piston is given in the figure to be \( 2.0 \) \( \text{m} \).
A \(2\)-N force is used to push a small piston \(10\) \(\text{cm}\) downward in a simple hydraulic machine. If the opposite large piston rises by \(0.5\) \(\text{cm}\), what is the maximum weight the large piston can lift?
Ben’s favorite ride at the Barrel-O-Fun Amusement Park is the Flying Umbrella, which is lifted by a hydraulic jack. The operator activates the ride by applying a force of \( 72 \) \( \text{N} \) to a \( 3.0 \) \( \text{cm} \) wide cylindrical piston, which holds the \( 20,000 \) \( \text{N} \) ride off the ground. What is the diameter of the piston that holds the ride?
Suppose we wish to make a neutrally buoyant hollow sphere out of titanium (\(\rho = 4500 \text{kg/m}^3\)). If the sphere has an outer radius of \( 1.5 \) \( \text{m} \), what must be its inner radius?
A fountain with an opening of radius \( 0.015 \) \( \text{m} \) shoots a stream of water vertically from ground level at \( 6.0 \) \( \text{m/s} \). The density of water is \( 1000 \) \( \text{kg/m}^3 \).

The figure shows a horizontal pipe with sections with different cross-sectional areas. Small tubes extend from the top of each section. The cross-sectional area of the pipe at location C is half that at A, and the areas at A and D are the same. Water flows in the pipe from left to right. Which of the following correctly ranks the height \( h \) of the water in the tubes above the labeled locations?
A geologist suspects that her rock specimen is hollow, so she weighs the specimen in both air and water. When completely submerged, the rock weighs twice as much in air as it does in water.
A drinking fountain projects water at an initial angle of \( 50^ \circ \) above the horizontal, and the water reaches a maximum height of \( 0.150 \) \( \text{m} \) above the point of exit. Assume air resistance is negligible.
The difference in pressure between the atmosphere and the human lungs is \( 1.05 \times 10^5 \) \( \text{Pa} \). What is the longest straw you could use to draw up milk whose density is \( 1030 \) \( \text{kg/m}^3 \)?

You have a giant cask of water with a spigot some height below the water surface. The surface of the water, which is essentially at rest, is exposed to atmosphere (\( \approx 10^5 \text{Pa} \)). The water density is \( \approx 1000 \text{kg/m}^3 \). The water pours out of the spigot at \( 3 \text{m/s} \). How far below the water surface is the spigot positioned?
\(4.11\times10^{2}\,\text{N}\)
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| Kinematics | Forces |
|---|---|
| \(\Delta x = v_i t + \frac{1}{2} at^2\) | \(F = ma\) |
| \(v = v_i + at\) | \(F_g = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}\) |
| \(v^2 = v_i^2 + 2a \Delta x\) | \(f = \mu N\) |
| \(\Delta x = \frac{v_i + v}{2} t\) | \(F_s =-kx\) |
| \(v^2 = v_f^2 \,-\, 2a \Delta x\) |
| Circular Motion | Energy |
|---|---|
| \(F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r}\) | \(KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2\) |
| \(a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}\) | \(PE = mgh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{r}{g}}\) | \(KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f\) |
| \(W = Fd \cos\theta\) |
| Momentum | Torque and Rotations |
|---|---|
| \(p = mv\) | \(\tau = r \cdot F \cdot \sin(\theta)\) |
| \(J = \Delta p\) | \(I = \sum mr^2\) |
| \(p_i = p_f\) | \(L = I \cdot \omega\) |
| Simple Harmonic Motion | Fluids |
|---|---|
| \(F = -kx\) | \(P = \frac{F}{A}\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}\) | \(P_{\text{total}} = P_{\text{atm}} + \rho gh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\) | \(Q = Av\) |
| \(x(t) = A \cos(\omega t + \phi)\) | \(F_b = \rho V g\) |
| \(a = -\omega^2 x\) | \(A_1v_1 = A_2v_2\) |
| Constant | Description |
|---|---|
| [katex]g[/katex] | Acceleration due to gravity, typically [katex]9.8 , \text{m/s}^2[/katex] on Earth’s surface |
| [katex]G[/katex] | Universal Gravitational Constant, [katex]6.674 \times 10^{-11} , \text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2/\text{kg}^2[/katex] |
| [katex]\mu_k[/katex] and [katex]\mu_s[/katex] | Coefficients of kinetic ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) and static ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) friction, dimensionless. Static friction ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) is usually greater than kinetic friction ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) as it resists the start of motion. |
| [katex]k[/katex] | Spring constant, in [katex]\text{N/m}[/katex] |
| [katex] M_E = 5.972 \times 10^{24} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Earth |
| [katex] M_M = 7.348 \times 10^{22} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Moon |
| [katex] M_M = 1.989 \times 10^{30} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Sun |
| Variable | SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]s[/katex] (Displacement) | [katex]\text{meters (m)}[/katex] |
| [katex]v[/katex] (Velocity) | [katex]\text{meters per second (m/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]a[/katex] (Acceleration) | [katex]\text{meters per second squared (m/s}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]t[/katex] (Time) | [katex]\text{seconds (s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]m[/katex] (Mass) | [katex]\text{kilograms (kg)}[/katex] |
| Variable | Derived SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]F[/katex] (Force) | [katex]\text{newtons (N)}[/katex] |
| [katex]E[/katex], [katex]PE[/katex], [katex]KE[/katex] (Energy, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy) | [katex]\text{joules (J)}[/katex] |
| [katex]P[/katex] (Power) | [katex]\text{watts (W)}[/katex] |
| [katex]p[/katex] (Momentum) | [katex]\text{kilogram meters per second (kgm/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\omega[/katex] (Angular Velocity) | [katex]\text{radians per second (rad/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\tau[/katex] (Torque) | [katex]\text{newton meters (Nm)}[/katex] |
| [katex]I[/katex] (Moment of Inertia) | [katex]\text{kilogram meter squared (kgm}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]f[/katex] (Frequency) | [katex]\text{hertz (Hz)}[/katex] |
Metric Prefixes
Example of using unit analysis: Convert 5 kilometers to millimeters.
Start with the given measurement: [katex]\text{5 km}[/katex]
Use the conversion factors for kilometers to meters and meters to millimeters: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}}[/katex]
Perform the multiplication: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}} = 5 \times 10^3 \times 10^3 \, \text{mm}[/katex]
Simplify to get the final answer: [katex]\boxed{5 \times 10^6 \, \text{mm}}[/katex]
Prefix | Symbol | Power of Ten | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
Pico- | p | [katex]10^{-12}[/katex] | 0.000000000001 |
Nano- | n | [katex]10^{-9}[/katex] | 0.000000001 |
Micro- | µ | [katex]10^{-6}[/katex] | 0.000001 |
Milli- | m | [katex]10^{-3}[/katex] | 0.001 |
Centi- | c | [katex]10^{-2}[/katex] | 0.01 |
Deci- | d | [katex]10^{-1}[/katex] | 0.1 |
(Base unit) | – | [katex]10^{0}[/katex] | 1 |
Deca- or Deka- | da | [katex]10^{1}[/katex] | 10 |
Hecto- | h | [katex]10^{2}[/katex] | 100 |
Kilo- | k | [katex]10^{3}[/katex] | 1,000 |
Mega- | M | [katex]10^{6}[/katex] | 1,000,000 |
Giga- | G | [katex]10^{9}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000 |
Tera- | T | [katex]10^{12}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000,000 |
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