Questions: Mechanical Advantage: Doing More with Less
3 questions to test your understanding
Score: 0 / 3
Question 1 Multiple Choice
A lever lets you lift a 20-pound rock by pushing with only 5 pounds of force. What is the mechanical advantage?
Mechanical advantage = output force ÷ input force = 20 ÷ 5 = 4.
Question 2 True / False
A machine with a mechanical advantage of 2 lets you use half the force but you must push twice as far.
Answer: True
Machines trade force for distance. With a mechanical advantage of 2, the force is halved, but the distance you push doubles.
Question 3 Short Answer
What does mechanical advantage measure?
Think about your answer, then reveal below.
Model answer: Mechanical advantage measures how much a machine multiplies your input force.
It is the ratio of the output force (what the machine produces) to the input force (what you put in).