How do hydraulics and pneumatics work?
In general Hydraulics is any system that hinges on the use of an incompressible fluid and pneumatics is any system that uses a compressible fluid. This is a huge range of stuff. I am going to focus in on mechanical systems that can move using these systems. Hydraulics uses an incompressible fluid (like water or oil) to typically move a piston. An example is when you press on your brakes. The pedal pushes on a piston that pressurizes the fluid and that pressure is transmitted through the hydraulic lines to your breaks were another piston exerts a force on you brake rotor to slow you down. Hydraulic systems are usually closed meaning that nothing comes in or out of the system. Pneumatics is very similar except they use compressible fluids such as air and the systems are usually open. A typical system would have a compressed air tank that can supply pressurized air. The pressurized air can be routed to a piston to move it and when you want to stop pushing on the piston you can cut off the
