PhysicsGrade 10Simple Machines

Simple Machines Lab: Mechanical Advantage and Work

Compare a lever, pulley, and inclined plane by changing geometry, load, and efficiency, then measure effort force, work, and mechanical advantage.

SimulationsLab index
Textbook unitSimple MachinesGrade 10 Physics Unit 5
Keywordssimple machines, lever, pulley, inclined plane, mechanical advantageMapped to available textbook headings
Practice modeManipulate, measure, explainUse the controls, then read the live evidence

Physics · Grade 8

Compare simple machines using force and work

Switch between a lever, pulley, and inclined plane to see how geometry changes effort force, effort distance, and work.

StatusUseful lift
1

Drag the lever's right end ↓ — the load rises on the left. Now slide Effort arm to 3× the load arm: how much does the effort force drop?

2

With MA = 3, compare Input work and Output work in the meters. Slide efficiency down — where does the difference go?

3

Switch to Pulley or Incline. Find a setup where effort force is less than half the load force. What changed in the diagram?

1.1 m3.2 m275 N121 Neffort ↓loadfulcrumgrab here ↓MA = 2.91× · blue = load arm · amber = effort arm
Load force275 N
Effort distance1.45 m
Force saved56%
Machines insight

MA = 2.27×: effort is reduced by that factor. Efficiency 78.0%: 38.7 J lost to friction. Golden rule: no machine creates energy.

IMA2.91
AMA2.27
Effort force121 N
Input work176 J
Output work137 J

Lab task

Find one setup in each machine type that cuts effort force by at least half. Record the trials and compare input work.

Observation rule

Simple machines trade force for distance. Mechanical advantage reduces effort force, but real machines lose some input work to inefficiency.

Mission

What to prove in this lab

  1. Calculate ideal and actual mechanical advantage for common simple machines.
  2. Relate effort force and effort distance to output work on a load.
  3. Explain why efficiency lowers actual performance from the ideal model.