Pulleys and Mechanical Advantage Flashcards

Pulleys and Mechanical Advantage

• Pulleys are simple machines that provide mechanical advantage, making it easier to lift heavy loads.
• A single fixed pulley offers a mechanical advantage of 1:1, meaning the force needed to lift an object equals the object's weight.
• A single movable pulley has a mechanical advantage of 2:1, requiring half the force to lift an object, while also needing twice the rope length to lift the load.
• Mechanical advantage refers to the assistance a machine provides to complete work more efficiently.
• Increasing the number of pulleys used reduces the effort needed to lift loads, enhancing their effectiveness.

Levers

• Class 1 levers have the fulcrum between the effort and load; examples include teeter-totters, oars, catapults, and scissors.
• Class 2 levers have the load between the effort and fulcrum; examples include wheelbarrows, crowbars, and human joints like arms.
• Class 3 levers place the effort between the load and fulcrum; examples include brooms, bats, and fishing rods.
• The four essential parts of a lever are the load, effort, lever or beam, and fulcrum.

Other Simple Machines

• An inclined plane is a ramp designed to help move heavy objects up or down heights, offering mechanical advantage through gradual elevation changes.
• Levers increase force; they function by allowing a long stick to pivot on a fulcrum to move another object.

Fundamental Concepts

• Force is calculated using the formula F = ma (mass times acceleration).
• Motion refers to the changing position or location of an object.
• Distance measures how far an object has traveled from its starting point or how far it is from another object.
• A fulcrum is the pivotal point on which a lever rests and pivots.
• Work is defined as the energy spent in applying a force to move an object, calculated with the formula W = F × D (work = force times distance).