Name _____________________________
IMA, AMA, and Work Lab Worksheet
Ideal Mechanical Advantage
IMA
1. A simple machine would be considered ideal if it had no friction.
IMA =
effort distance
resistance distance
Actual Mechanical Advantage
AMA
2. a. Actual machines have friction. They do not have as high a mechanical advantage as
ideal machines because some of the effort is used to overcome friction.
AMA = actual measured resistance force = OF
actual measured effort force
IF
Work
3. Work OUT (Output) is the force the machine is applying to the object (usually the weight of
the object) multiplied by the distance the object is moved.
Work IN (Input) is the force applied to the machine, or using the machine, and the distance
this force is applied.
Inclined Planes
4. The following is how you tell the IMA of an inclined plane.
ideal mechanical advantage =
effort distance
=
resistance distance
1
length of ramp
height of ramp
4a..
What is the IMA of this ramp? Show your work.
24 m
5m
4b. What is the IMA of this ramp? Show your work.
18 m
4m
5a. To determine the AMA of the inclined plane, you must use force. The effort force is what is
measured with a spring scale in Newtons. The resistance force is weight of the box in
newtons.
15 N
35 N
actual mechanical advantage = resistance force
effort force
AMA = FR
FE
= 35 N = 2.3
15 N
2
5b. Calculate the AMA of the ramp below. Show your work.
20 N
325 N
6. Work can be determined by the following equation.
Work = Force x Distance
Work Out = Force machine applies to object (usually the weight) x Distance the object is
moved
Work In = Force applied to, or using , the machine x Distance this force is applied
6a. Determine the Work OUT and Work IN based on the diagram below. Show work.
12 m
783 N
15 0 N
2m
3
Levers
7a. To find the Ideal Mechanical Advantage of a lever, use the following equation.
ideal mechanical advantage =
length of effort arm = LIA
length of effort arm LOA
IMA = LIA = 37 m = 3.08
LOA 12 m
37 m
12 m
7b. Determine the IMA for the following. Show your work.
24 m
30 m
7c. Determine the IMA for the following. Show your work.
15 m
7m
4
8. To find the Actual Mechanical Advantage of a lever, you use the equation:
AMA = resistance force (weight of object) = OF = FResistance
effort force
IF FEffort
AMA = FR = 327 N = 7.27
FE
45 N
327 N
45 N
8a. Find the AMA of the following. Show your work.
75 N
5
597 N
8b. Find the AMA of the following. Show your work.
128 N
55 N
9. Work can be determined by the following equation.
Work = Force x Distance
Work Out = Force machine applies to object (usually the weight) x Distance the object is
moved
Work In = Force applied to, or using , the machine x Distance this force is applied
9a. Determine the Work OUT and Work IN based on the diagram below. Show work.
45 N
57.7 N
1.3 m
.6 m
5.6 m
3.8 m
6