Hydraulic Arm Wrestling 

 

 

Trading force for distance is the mechanical advantage that “Makes Me Strong.”  Here, extra “push” is not gained by the use of gears, levers or other mechanical devices, but by the displacement of a non-compressible fluid.  Three pairs of platforms are equipped with three pairs of opposing hydraulic cylinders. Each pair of cylinders has a unique ratio of surface area and swept volume.  One pair provides no mechanical advantage.  The other pairs provide approximately two to one and three to one mechanical advantages.  By experimenting with the different pairs and examining the different shapes of the pistons and their surface areas, visitors can begin to gain an understanding of this different approach to the physics of “push.”