Pascal's Principle states that pressure applied to a fluid is transmitted how?

• A. Pressure applied to a fluid is transmitted equally throughout the fluid.
• B. Pressure at the surface is greater than inside a fluid.
• C. Pressure has no effect on fluid flow.
• D. Temperature changes do not affect pressure in fluids.

Answer: (A)

Pascal's principle says that when you apply a pressure to a confined fluid, that pressure change is transmitted throughout the entire fluid and to the container walls with no loss. In other words, the increase in pressure is the same everywhere in the fluid, in all directions. This is what enables hydraulic systems to multiply force: pushing on a small piston raises the pressure by a certain amount, and that same pressure acts on a larger piston to produce a larger force, even though the input area is smaller. The idea isn’t about surface pressure being greater inside, nor about temperature effects or fluid flow being irrelevant—those are separate concepts.