Fluid Power Review Guide
1) What is a fluid? What is fluid power?
2) Fluid power uses two systems, hydraulics and pneumatics. What is the difference between them?
3) List 7 reasons to use fluid power.
4) For the following fluid system components, describe the purpose of the component and draw the
schematic symbol:
 Reservoir / Receiver
 Conductor
 Pump / Compressor
 Flow Control Valve
 Check Valve
 Actuator / Cylinder
5) What is flow? The units for liquid flow? The units for gas flow? Why is it important to a fluid system?
6) How is the rate of flow controlled? What does this control?
7) Define Pascal’s Principle with words and an equation
8) When applied to fluid systems, what is given up when gaining a magnified force?
9) Describe Bernoulli’s Therom.
10) Define Atmospheric Pressure. What is its value at the earth’s surface?
11) What is a gauge reading where atmospheric pressure is equal to 0?
12) What is a gauge reading that includes the value of atmospheric pressure?
13) What is the major difference between liquids & gases? How does this change a fluid power system?
14) State Boyles Law as an equation. What does each symbol stand for?
15) State Charles’ Law as an equation. What does each symbol stand for?
16) State Bernoulli’s Therom.
17) When does the buoyant force equal the weight of the object in a fluid?
𝐹
Useful Equations: 𝑃 = 𝐴
𝑃1 𝑉1 = 𝑃2 𝑉2
𝑉1
𝑇1
𝑉
= 𝑇2
2
𝐴𝐶𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑙𝑒 = 𝜋𝑟 2
𝐷 = 2𝑟
Solve the following problems
18) A pneumatic system is producing 150 lb/in2 of gauge pressure. A cylinder is needed to press an
adhesive label onto a product. It has been determined that 3 lb of force is optimal to complete this
task. What is the required area of the pneumatic cylinder?
19) The gauge pressure of a pneumatic cylinder reads 25 lb/in2 when the volume is 20 in3. The cylinder is
compressed until the gauge reads 60 lb/in.2. Assume standard atmospheric pressure (14.7 psi).
What is the absolute pressure before and after the cylinder gas is compressed?
What is the volume in the cylinder after the gas is compressed?
20) The air temperature in a 15 in.3 container with a free sliding piston is initially measured at 45 °C. The
temperature is raised to 150 °C. What is the new volume of the container?
What would these temperatures be on the Kelvin scale?
21) If an actuator’s piston has a diameter of 5 inches, what is its radius?
22) If the actuator’s piston has a radius that is 2 inches, what is its area?
23) What is the pressure in pounds per square inch (PSI) if 100 pounds of force are applied to a hydraulic
system’s piston with an area of 2 inches?
24) What is the pressure in pounds per square inch (PSI) if 50 pounds of force are applied to a hydraulic
system’s piston with an area of 4 inches?
25) What is the force of an actuator with a piston that has an area of 3 square inches ( in2 ) and a 50 psi?
26) What is the force of an actuator with a piston that has an area of 5 square inches ( in2 ) and a 75 psi?
27) If we want 50 pounds of force and we know the pressure is 10 psi, how much area does the piston in
the actuator need?
28) If we need a piston with an area of 314 inches, what would its radius need to be?
29) If we have two actuators connected together and one actuator has 50lbs of force applied to its
piston that has an area of 2 square inches, how big area must the other actuator have to produce
500 lbs of force?