If the area of a piston in a hydraulic cylinder is 1.2 square inches and the fluid pressure is 850 PSI, what force is exerted on the piston?

To determine the force exerted on the piston in a hydraulic cylinder, you can apply Pascal's principle, which states that pressure applied to a confined fluid is transmitted undiminished throughout the fluid. The relationship between pressure, force, and area is defined by the formula:

[ \text{Force} = \text{Pressure} \times \text{Area} ]

In this case, the pressure is given as 850 PSI (pounds per square inch), and the area of the piston is 1.2 square inches. To find the force, you can substitute the values into the equation:

[ \text{Force} = 850 , \text{PSI} \times 1.2 , \text{inches}^2 ]

Calculating this gives:

[ \text{Force} = 1020 , \text{pounds} ]

This calculation confirms that the force exerted on the piston is indeed 1020 pounds, making it the correct answer. Understanding the application of pressure and area in determining force is crucial in topics related to hydraulics and fluid mechanics.