Get Mechanical Advantage & Simple Machines

: the advantage gained by the use of a mechanism in transmitting force specifically : the ratio of the force that performs the useful work of a machine to the force that is applied to the machine.

Answer: The mechanical advantage of a machine is 4. ... Mechanical advantage MA is the ratio of output (generated by the machine) force to input (applied to the machine) force. So MA = 4 means that for example if you apply 100 N then your machine will multiply that force and generate 400 N.

To determine its mechanical advantage you'll divide the length of the sloped side by the width of the wedge. For example, if the slope is 3 centimeters and the width is 1.5 centimeters, then the mechanical advantage is 2, or 3 centimeters divided by 1.5 centimeters.

Simple machines are devices that can be used to multiply or augment a force that we apply often at the expense of a distance through which we have to apply the force. A few simple machines are the lever, nail puller, wheelbarrow, crank, etc.

The inclined plane An inclined plane consists of a sloping surface; it is used for raising heavy bodies. The plane offers a mechanical advantage in that the force required to move an object up the incline is less than the weight being raised (discounting friction).

Mechanical advantage is a measure of the force amplification achieved by using a tool, mechanical device or machine system. The device preserves the input power and simply trades off input forces against movement to obtain a desired amplification in the output force. The model for this is the law of the lever.

The ideal mechanical advantage of an inclined plane is always greater than 1. A wedge is a simple machine that consists of two inclined planes. A screw is a simple machine that consists of an inclined plane wrapped around a cylinder or cone. The ideal mechanical advantage of wedges and screws is always greater than 1.