4.32 Pascal’s Law
4.32 Pascal’s Law
- State Pascal’s law.
- Describe how Pascal’s law applies to a tube of toothpaste.
- Explain how transmission of fluid pressure is used in brakes and other equipment.
Did you ever watch someone make balloon animals like this turkey? When you blow up a balloon, you force air
inside the balloon through a small opening. The air spreads out and presses against the inside of the balloon, forcing
it to expand. Pressure always spreads throughout a contained fluid like air in a balloon.
Pressure and Force
Pressureis the amount of force acting on a given area. It is represented by the equation:
Pressure=ForceArea
The pressure exerted by a fluid increases if more force is applied or if the same force is applied over a smaller area.
The equation for pressure can be rewritten as:
Force = Pressure×Area
This equation shows that the same pressure applied to a greater area increases the force.