What Is an Advantage of an Inclined Plane?
An inclined plane is a simple machine consisting of a slope between two different heights. The inclined plane changes the effort needed to accomplish the work by extending the horizontal distance to decrease the force needed to change the vertical height. A ramp is an example of an inclined plane.
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Work
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The formula for work is force times distance (work = force x distance).
Mechanical Advantage
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The mechanical advantage of a machine is the proportional change in the factors for the work equation. While the amount of work is unchanged (ignoring friction) the force and distance in the work is altered.
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Shape of an Inclined Plane
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When viewed from the side, an inclined plane appears as a triangle. The slope of the inclined plane corresponds to the hypotenuse of the triangle with the vertical and horizontal distances matching to the remaining two sides of the triangle.
Mechanical Advantage of Inclined Planes
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The mechanical advantage for an inclined plane is determined by dividing the length of the slope by the vertical height of the inclined plane.
Practical Advantage of an Inclined Plane
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The force required to move an object up a ramp is reduced by increasing the distance which the object moves for a given height. Friction between the object and the surface of the ramp can significantly reduce the advantages gained by using the inclined plane.
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