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How Do Pulleys Help Lift Loads?

One of the simplest mechanical systems around, and also one of the most useful, is the pulley. It doesn't consist of many parts, operates on fairly simple physical laws and is able to help lift heavy loads.

  1. Identification

    • A pulley is made up of at least one grooved wheel and a cord or cable that is fit into that groove. At one end, a heavy load is attached, while at the other end force is applied to lift or lower that load. This can be done by hand or machine.

    Force and Weight

    • The amount of force needed to lift a load is equal to the weight of that load divided by the number of support strands in the pulley system. Differential pulley systems, which use two wheels and cables, will require half the force to lift the same weight as a single pulley.

    Considerations

    • While a multiple pulley system requires less effort to lift a load, it also increases the friction in the system, which means that more of the cord or cable will have to be pulled in order to lift the load.

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