Mechanical Advantage

What topics does mechanical motion cover on this test?

Systems of pulleys, systems of gears, rotating wheels and disks, cam and cam followers, and cranks and pistons.

What is mechanical advantage?

The amplification of a force by way of a machine.

What does mechanical advantage let you do?

Make the output force larger than the input force.

What is the mechanical advantage formula using forces?

MA = Load divided by Effort.

A 100 N object is lifted with a 10 N force. What is the MA?

10, because 100 divided by 10 is 10.

What is the mechanical advantage formula using distances?

MA = effort distance divided by load distance.

What is the load distance?

The distance the load travels, or the distance from the fulcrum to the load.

What is the effort distance?

The distance the effort travels, or the distance from the fulcrum to the effort force.

A box sits 1 m from a fulcrum and force is applied 20 m away on the other side. What is the MA?

20, because 20 divided by 1 is 20.

What is a fulcrum?

The pivot point a lever turns on.

What are the two ways an MA problem can be set up?

By the magnitude of the forces, or by the distances of the forces from a point.

What is the general method for any MA problem?

Find the effort force or distance, find the load force or distance, then calculate the ratio.

If MA is greater than 1, what does that mean?

The machine multiplies your force — the output force is larger than the input.