Explore the Hydraulic Press & Pascal's Principle
Push a small piston and lift a car with a big one, and see how force, area and distance trade off. Free, no signup, runs in your browser.
- Free to use
- No signup
- Nothing to install
- Runs in your browser
Illustration. Open the tool for the real thing.
See it in action
The Hydraulic Press & Pascal's Principle with sample data entered and the result showing.
What is the Hydraulic Press & Pascal's Principle?
Push a small piston and lift a car with a big one, and see how force, area and distance trade off. It runs in your browser, so a change to a setting or a drag on an object shows up at once.
Car brakes, garage lifts, excavators, aircraft landing gear and forklifts are hydraulic machines.
3 steps to your result
Open the tool and follow along. Nothing to install.
What you get
Pressure = force ÷ area and is the same everywhere in the fluid.
A big output piston gives a big force.
The big piston moves less than the small one, so work is conserved.
Lift the car with a small push and a large area ratio.
Try the truck and see when the force is not enough.
Make the small piston narrower.
Used for
Pick one to see how it fits.
Engineering learners
Engineering and technology students, makers, robotics clubs and teachers of design and technology.
Try it freeTeachers
For teachers: project the Hydraulic Press & Pascal's Principle on the board, let students predict the result, then run it together and test this: Try the truck and see when the force is not enough. For students: change one thing at a time and write down what changes.
Try it freeHow it compares
A plain look at this tool next to the usual alternative.
| This simulation | Textbook diagram | |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive | Drag, tap and change settings | Fixed picture |
| Install | Nothing to install | Not needed |
| Cost | Free to use | Depends on the book |
Questions people ask
What is Pascal's principle?
A pressure change applied to an enclosed fluid is passed on equally to every part of the fluid.
Do hydraulics give free energy?
No. The big piston moves a smaller distance, so the work in equals the work out.
Is the Hydraulic Press & Pascal's Principle free to use?
Yes. The Hydraulic Press & Pascal's Principle is free, needs no signup or download and runs in your web browser. It is part of the Engineering group of AZRS simulations.
Does the Hydraulic Press & Pascal's Principle work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The Hydraulic Press & Pascal's Principle takes touch input as well as mouse input, so you can use its 4 adjustable settings with a finger. A larger screen makes the controls and graphs easier to read.
How do I use the Hydraulic Press & Pascal's Principle?
1. In the Hydraulic Press & Pascal's Principle, use the controls to change Small piston area, Large piston area, Push force, Load. The simulation reacts instantly. 2. In the Hydraulic Press & Pascal's Principle, pick an option such as Car 1000 kg, Elephant 5000 kg, Truck 8000 kg to switch modes or load an example. 3. In the Hydraulic Press & Pascal's Principle, press "Release" to start, reset or change what is happening. 4. Start with this experiment: Lift the car with a small push and a large area ratio. Drag any glowing handle, object or slider with your mouse or finger and the Hydraulic Press & Pascal's Principle responds in real time. 5. Change one setting at a time and watch which readout moves, then compare it with this idea: Pressure = force ÷ area and is the same everywhere in the fluid.
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Try the Hydraulic Press & Pascal's Principle now
Push a small piston and lift a car with a big one, and see how force, area and distance. Free to use.
Try it free