A hydraulic actuator has a fluid pressure of 400 psi acting on a piston area of 5 square inches. What is the force on the piston?

A hydraulic actuator has a fluid pressure of 400 psi acting on a piston area of 5 square inches. What is the force on the piston?

• A. 2000 Pounds
• B. 400 Pounds
• C. 20,000 Pounds
• D. 50 Pounds

Answer: (A)

In hydraulic systems, the force a piston can exert comes from multiplying the fluid pressure by the piston area. So with a pressure of 400 pounds per square inch and a piston area of 5 square inches, the force is 400 × 5 = 2000 pounds-force. The units work out as pounds because psi (pounds per square inch) times square inches gives pounds. This is the ideal, basic calculation; real systems may experience small losses from friction or other factors, but the core result is 2000 pounds of force.

In hydraulic systems, the force a piston can exert comes from multiplying the fluid pressure by the piston area. So with a pressure of 400 pounds per square inch and a piston area of 5 square inches, the force is 400 × 5 = 2000 pounds-force. The units work out as pounds because psi (pounds per square inch) times square inches gives pounds. This is the ideal, basic calculation; real systems may experience small losses from friction or other factors, but the core result is 2000 pounds of force.