Simple Machines and Mechanical Advantage

Vocabulary flashcards covering the fundamental concepts of work, simple machines, and mechanical advantage based on the lecture transcript.

Work

A force applied over a distance resulting in a transfer of energy, measured as $\text{Force} \times \text{Distance}$.

Joule

The unit of measurement for work, where $1\,\text{Joule} = 1\,\text{Newton} \times 1\,\text{meter}$.

Machine

Any device that helps you do work.

Six Simple Machines

The group of devices consisting of the lever, inclined plane, wheel and axle, wedge, screw, and pulley.

Law of Conservation of Energy

The principle stating that you cannot get more energy out of a machine than you put in; if no energy is lost to friction, $\text{Work In} = \text{Work Out}$.

Mechanical Advantage

The ability to do the same work with less force by increasing the distance over which force is applied, calculated as $\text{MA} = \frac{\text{Output Force}}{\text{Input Force}}$.

Input Force

The amount of force a user applies to a simple machine to perform work.

Lever

A simple machine exemplified by a bottle opener, which uses a long handle to allow a user to apply less force over a longer distance to move a load.

Pulley

A simple machine where the mechanical advantage corresponds to the reduction in force relative to the increase in rope length pulled (e.g., pulling $3$ times more rope to apply $1/3$ as much force results in $\text{MA} = 3$).