http://www.ck12.org Chapter 4. Motion and Forces
4.41 Mechanical Advantage
- Define actual and ideal mechanical advantage.
- Show how to calculate actual and ideal mechanical advantage.
- Identify the mechanical advantage of different types of machines.
Did you ever use a hammer to break open a piggy bank? When you use a hammer to hit something, you apply force
to the end of the handle. The head of the hammer, in turn, applies force to the piggy bank or whatever object you are
striking. The head of the hammer moves farther than you move the handle with your hand. For all machines—not
just hammers—the user applies force (input force) to the machine over a certain distance (input distance). The
machine, in turn, applies force (output force) to an object, also over a certain distance (output distance). A machine
makes work easier by changing the force or the distance over which the force is applied.
What Is Mechanical Advantage?
How much a machine changes the input force is itsmechanical advantage. Mechanical advantage is the ratio of
the output force to the input force, so it can be represented by the equation:
Actual Mechanical Advantage=Output forceInput force