Name:_____________________________
Period:________
Simple Machines and Mechanical Advantage
1. What are the six types of simple machines?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
2. What is the purpose of using simple machines?
Determine the type of simple machine listed at each station:
Station
Item:
Simple Machine
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
3. What is the equation to calculate work?
4. If I increase the distance (by increasing the length of the effort arm on a lever) what should happen
to the force required?
5. How does a simple machine make work feel easier? (Discuss distance and force).
6. Label the anatomy of the lever with the following parts:
__________________
_____________
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Part:
Input Side
Effort Arm
Output Side
Resistance Arm
Fulcrum
Input Force
Output Force
Input distance,
Output distance.
Input work = Output work – Whatever we put into the machine is also what we will get out of the
machine. In order to make the machine easier to use we want to adjust the lengths of the effort and
resistance arms.
7. What do you notice about the distance on the effort arm and the distance on the resistance arm?
8. On the resistance arm we want to have a lot of force to lift our object, so what does that mean we
should do to the distance of the resistance arm?
Mechanical advantage is how we measure how efficient a machine is or in other words how easy it is to
use. A machine with high mechanical advantage will require less force to use.
9. What is another word for mechanical advantage?
__________________________
10. What is the formula for mechanical advantage? You will need to memorize this!
11. The ___________________ the mechanical advantage, the _________________ it is to
___________ it.
12. In other words, the ____________________ the M.A. number, the more
_____________________ you’ve got.
13. Which machine has more leverage, a Mechanical Advantage of 1 or 4?
14. Summing it up: Machines with a ________ (high/low) mechanical advantage are easier to use. In
order to have a high mechanical advantage, you will want to have a __________ (long/short)
effort arm and a ___________ (long/short) resistance arm.
15. List a few first class levers. (2)
16. Sketch where to place the fulcrum, object and input force for the 2nd Class Lever below, and then
provide an example of one. (2)
1. Sketch where to place the fulcrum, object and input force for the 3rd Class Lever below, and then
provide an example of one. (2)
2. Sketch where I would place the input / output forces and distances. (2)
Day 3: Mechanical Advantage PPT
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17. What is another word for mechanical advantage?
__________________________
18. Input work = __________ work
19. What is the formula for mechanical advantage?
20. The ___________________ the mechanical number, the _________________ it is to
_____________________ it.
21. In other words, the ____________________ the M.A. number, the more _____________________
you’ve got.
22. Which machine has more leverage, a Mechanical Advantage of 1 or 4?
______________
Stop! You must do the labs first before continuing on.
How do I increase the mechanical advantage of each simple machine?
/6
Class 1 Lever:
Class 2 Lever:
Class 3 Lever:
First Class Levers:
/5
Which pair of pruners has more mechanical advantage? (1)
Short Handles – Long Blades
Long Handles – Short Blades
Which set of handles on the following pair of scissors has more mechanical advantage? (1)
Short Handle
Long Handle
Where on the blades will you have more mechanical advantage? (1)
Compare your answers to the diagram below. What pattern do you notice concerning the amount
of force you either have to give or receive as you move from the fulcrum? (2)
Input / Effort
Output / Result
Second Class Levers:
/10
Draw where would I place an object to give a second class lever more mechanical advantage? (1)
Third Class Levers:
Draw where would I place my front hand to give a third class lever more mechanical advantage?
(1)
What is the mathematical relationship between each lever? (2)
How do I increase mechanical advantage for each of them? (6)
/8
Inclined Plane:
How do I increase the mechanical advantage of this incline plane? (2)