High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! A shock absorber in common parlance (or damper in technical use) is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or damp shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy. Pneumatic and hydraulic shock absorbers commonly take the form of a cylinder with a sliding piston inside. The cylinder is filled with a fluid (such as hydraulic fluid) or air. This fluid-filled piston/cylinder combination is a dashpot.