The Incline Plane, Mechanical Advantage, and Efficiency
1. Draw an incline plane: label input force, output force, input distance, and output
distance.
2. Write the formula for mechanical advantage.
3. If you push a box up an incline plane with an input force of 3N and the output force of
the incline plane is 12 N what is the mechanical advantage of the incline plane?
4. If the input distance of the same incline plane is 60 m and the output distance is 5 m
what is the input and output work of the incline plane?
5. Which work is greater, the input work (done by the person pushing the box up the
incline plane, or the output work of the incline plane (its height)?
6. Write the formula for efficiency.
7. What is the efficiency of the incline plane in the problem above?
8. Efficiency for any machine is always less than 100%, so why use a machine?
9. How does an incline plane make work easier to do in relation to force and distance?
10. What is the difference between ideal and actual mechanical advantage?
11. How could friction be reduced on your incline plane?
12. If you can reduce friction on your incline plane how will that affect efficiency?