Science Grade 8

W1 - Lesson 5: Hydraulics and

Pneumatics
V5-07
 Important Concepts of Grade 8 Science Materials
Required
W1 - Lesson 1 ...................................................................... Mass, Volume, and Density
W1 - Lesson 2 ............................................................. Solubility and Saturation Points
Textbook:
W1 - Lesson 3A ...................................................... Viscosity, Flow Rate, and Buoyancy
Science in
W1 - Lesson 3B .................................................................................... Simple Machines
Action 8
W1 - Lesson 4 .................Gears, Mechanical Advantage, Speed Ratios, and Efficiency
W1 - Lesson 5 .....................................................................Hydraulics and Pneumatics
W1- Quiz
W2 - Lesson 1 ....The Role of Cells within Living Things, Cells-Tissue-Organ System
W2 - Lesson 2 ......................................................................................... The Microscope
W2 - Lesson 3 ................................................................................ Body Systems Part 1
W2 - Lesson 4 ................................................................................ Body Systems Part 2
W2 - Lesson 5 ................................................ Problems Associated with Body Systems
W2 - Quiz
W3 - Lesson 1 ....................................................Transmission and Absorption of Light
W3 - Lesson 2 .......................................................... Reflection and Refraction of Light
W3 - Lesson 3A ...................................................................................Vision and Lenses
W3 - Lesson 3B .. Water in its Various States Affects Earth’s Landforms and Climate
W3 - Lesson 4 ........................................................ Adaptations to Aquatic Ecosystems
W3 - Lesson 5 ........................................................................................... Water Quality
W3 - Quiz ..........................................................................................................................

Science Grade 8
Version 5
Preview/Review W1 - Lesson 5

Publisher: Alberta Distance Learning Centre

Author: Kevin De Clerq
In-House Teachers: Barb Philips and Norene Pinder

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Preview/Review Concepts
for
Grade Eight Science

W1 - Lesson 5:
Hydraulics and Pneumatics
 OBJECTIVES
By the end of this lesson, you should

• describe and identify hydraulic and pneumatic systems

• calculate force and pressure at various locations in hydraulic and

pneumatic systems

• explain Pascal’s law

• calculate mechanical advantage in hydraulic systems

GLOSSARY

hydraulics - system using confined, pressure - force applied over a given

pressurized liquids to move area
loads

pneumatics - system using

pressurized gas to move loads
Preview/Review Concepts W1 - Lesson 5 Science Grade 8

W1 - Lesson 5: Hydraulics and Pneumatics

Welcome to W1 - Lesson 5. This lesson is designed to teach you
about hydraulics and pneumatics; it should take about 60 minutes
to complete. At the end of this lesson, you will have a short quiz on
the material you covered this week.

Hydraulics and Pneumatics

You have probably heard of hydraulics and pneumatics.

What are they? Very simply, they are systems that use confined
fluids under pressure to move loads. A hydraulic system uses an
incompressible liquid; a pneumatic system uses a compressed gas.
Both hydraulics and pneumatics are based on the same principles,
and reduce the amount of force needed to move a load.

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Science Grade 8 Preview/Review Concepts W1 - Lesson 5

Activity 1

Read and understand pages 293 to 294 in Science in Action 8. Then,

answer the following questions.

1. Name some places that hydraulics are used to move loads.

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2. Name some places that pneumatics are used.

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Pressure

To understand how hydraulics and pneumatics work, you must

understand the concept of pressure. Pressure is a measure of the
amount of force applied to a given area and can be calculated with
the formula
p = F/A
where p is pressure
F is force usually in newtons
A is area

If area is measured in cm2, the unit of pressure is N/cm2. If area is

measured in m2, the unit would be N / m2 or pascals (Pa).

This equation can be rearranged as F = pA and A = F/p

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Preview/Review Concepts W1 - Lesson 5 Science Grade 8

For example, if a force of 60 N is applied to a platform 2 m2, we

could calculate the pressure on that surface as follows.

F
p=
A
60 N
=
2 m2
= 30 N/m 2
= 30 Pa
In a confined fluid, pressure is transmitted equally in all
directions. This is called Pascal’s Law. The pressure applies force
to every surface it comes into contact with. Each cm2 receives the
same force. If it applies 1 N of force on a cm2, it applies 1 N of force
to every cm2 of surface area it contacts.

If a force of 15 N is applied to a 5 cm2 area in a hydraulic system,

what amount of force is transmitted to an area 30 cm2 in size?

F
=
cm 2
15 N
=
5 cm 2
= 3 N/cm 2
The total force applied to 30 cm2 =

3N
30 cm2 x = 90 N
cm2

OR you might notice that 30 cm2 = 6 times as large as the initial

area and simply multiply the first force by 6 to get the answer.

Activity 2

Read and understand page 299 in Science in Action 8. Then, answer

the following questions.

1. If the pressure at one spot in a hydraulic or pneumatic system is

50 Pa, what is the pressure at any other spot in the system?

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Science Grade 8 Preview/Review Concepts W1 - Lesson 5

2. If a hydraulic piston with an area 2 cm2 is pushed with a force of

50 N, how much pressure is created in the liquid?

3. If 20 N of force is applied to 2 cm2 in a hydraulic or pneumatic

system, how much force is transmitted to 10 cm2?

Pistons

Hydraulic systems use a combination of two different-sized pistons

attached to the ends of a cylinder or flexible pipe. The smaller
input piston is where external force is applied to the fluid to create
pressure. The larger output piston is where the fluid pressure
applies force, and where the load is positioned.

Activity 3

Read and understand page 295 in Science in Action 8. Then, answer

the following questions.

1. If there are 100 Pa of pressure in a hydraulic system, what

force would be found at the output piston with a surface area of
0.5m2?

2. A jack has a 1 cm2 input piston where 250 N force is applied.

What weight object could be lifted on the 10 cm2 output piston?

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Preview/Review Concepts W1 - Lesson 5 Science Grade 8

3. Do you get any mechanical advantage if you put the load on the
small piston and apply force to the large piston?

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Mechanical Advantage in Hydraulic Systems

Hydraulics and pneumatics are used to gain mechanical advantage.

As with simple machines, the formula for Mechanical Advantge is

MA = Output force/Input force

For example, in a hydraulic system, if the force input is 20 Newtons

and the force output is 600 Newtons, then

600 N
MA =
20 N
= 30

Therefore, you would be getting out 30 times more force than you
are putting into the system.

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Science Grade 8 Preview/Review Concepts W1 - Lesson 5

Activity 4

Read and understand pages 298 to 300 in Science in Action 8. Then,

answer the following questions.

1. A hydraulic hoist at “Pete’s Garage” can lift a 2000 kg vehicle. It

takes one newton to lift 100 g. How many newtons are required
to lift this vehicle?

2. The fluid compressor on the hoist (input force) provides 1500

Newtons of force on the hydraulic fluid and the 2000 kg car
is lifted. Calculate the mechanical advantage. (Uses newtons
calculated from question 1.)

3. As the mechanical advantage of a hydraulic jack increases, what

happens to the distance the input piston has to move?

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4. Why can hydraulic systems provide a large mechanical

advantage?

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Take some time to review the material you

learned this week. You will be writing a short
quiz before you go home.

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