Names: ____________________________
Inclined Plane Lab
Materials: board, textbooks, 1 stringed textbook, spring scale, timer
Procedure:
1. Create a ramp with the books. Use between 1-3 books.
2. Hang a textbook from the spring scale and determine its weight in newtons. (This is the resistance
force!)
3. Measure the height (resistance distance) and length (effort distance) of the ramp in meters.
4. Slowly pull the textbook up the inclined plane (the distance you measured as the length). Time how
long to takes to pull the book up the ramp. Time: ____________________s
5. Read the spring scale to determine the effort force.
6. Label the drawing of the ramp with your data
7. Calculate work input, work output, mechanical advantage, efficiency and power.
a. Work input
b. Work output
c. Efficiency
d. Ideal Mechanical Advantage
e. Actual Mechanical Advantage
f. Power
8. Now make a taller ramp. Use between 4-7 books.
9. Measure the height and length of the ramp in meters.
10. Slowly pull the textbook up the inclined plane (the distance you measured as the length). Time how
long to takes to pull the book up the ramp. Time: ____________________s
11. Read the spring scale to determine the effort force.
12. Put all of your supplies back.
13. Calculate work input, work output, mechanical advantage, efficiency and power.
a. Work input
b. Work output
c. Efficiency
d. Ideal Mechanical Advantage
e. Actual Mechanical Advantage
f. Power
Conclusions:
1. Does it take _____ force to pull the textbook up the inclined plane as opposed to lifting it?
a. More
b. less
2. Does your effort have to travel _____ distance using the inclined plane?
a. More
b. less
3. When using an inclined plane you gain___________________ and sacrifice ______________.
4. What outside force caused the difference between your work input (pulling the block up the
inclined plane) and your work output (lifting to the same height) numbers? _______________
5. According to your data, which is larger: Actual Mechanical Advantage or Ideal Mechanical
Advantage? Circle one
6. According to your data, which is ramp has a larger actual mechanical advantage?
a. short ramp
b. tall ramp
7. According to your data, which is ramp has a larger ideal mechanical advantage?
a. short ramp
b. tall ramp
8. According to your data, which is ramp has a larger efficiency?
a. short ramp
b. tall ramp
9. According to your data, which is ramp has a larger work output?
a. short ramp
b. tall ramp
10. According to your data, which ramp required more power?
a. short ramp
b. tall ramp
11. If you were to load a refrigerator into the back of a U-Haul truck, would you wanted a shorter
ramp or a longer ramp (distance resistance will remain constant)? ________________________.
a. Explain. ________________________________________________________________
12. In your opinion, which is better: a higher AMA or a higher efficiency? Explain your answer.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________