Simple Machines

A machine is a device that enables us

• to exert a force (load) greater than the force (effort) applied to it or
• to apply a force at a convenient point or
• to apply a force in a desired direction, or to move the load longer than the effort.
Machines that we use:
1. The lever e.g. mango cutter, beam balance, a pair of scissors, etc.
2. The pulley e.g. water well, crane, etc.
3. The wheel and axle e.g. door knob, steering wheel, etc.
4. The inclined plane e.g. staircase, ramp, etc.
5. The wedge e.g. needle, axe, etc.
6. The screw e.g. bolt, jar lid, drill, etc.

MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE: The factor by which a machine multiplies the force applied (effort) is called
the mechanical advantage of that machine. It is the ratio of the load to the effort. L : E
Mechanical advantage = Load
Effort
If the m.a of a machine is greater than 1 (effort < load), the machine is called a force multiplier.

1] LEVERS: A lever is a rod which can turn about a fixed point called the fulcrum.

PRINCIPLE OF A LEVER: The MA of a lever is equal to the ratio of the effort arm to the load arm.
When the lever is horizontal and in balanced position we see that
Load x Load arm = Effort x Effort arm Or Mechanical advantage of lever = Load L = Effort arm
Effort E Load arm
❖ If load arm is greater than the effort arm, MA < 1.
❖ If load arm is equal to the effort arm, MA = 1.
❖ If load arm is smaller than the effort arm, MA > 1.

Levers are divided into three classes depending on the position of the fulcrum, effort and load. They are
1. Levers of Class I [ E – F- L ]
GR – The MA in class 1 levers can be either greater, smaller or equal to 1
Ans – MA can be either greater, smaller or equal to 1 depends on the length of the effort arm and load arm
❖ If the effort arm is longer than the load arm the mechanical advantage is greater than 1.
❖ If the effort arm is equal to the load arm, the mechanical advantage is equal to 1.
❖ If the effort arm is shorter than the load arm, its mechanical advantage is less than 1.
Examples: see-saw, a pair of scissors, a pair of pliers, crow bar, common balance, spoon opening the lid of a
tin can, handle of a hand pump, the oar rowing a boat etc.

GR – The MA of pliers is more than 1 but the MA in scissors is less than 1

Ans - The shears of pliers are shorter while that of a pair of scissors are
longer. Thus, the load arm of pliers is shorter than the effort arm, so its
mechanical advantage is more than 1, while the load arm of a pair of scissors
is longer than the effort arm, so its mechanical advantage is less than 1.

GR In beam balance the MA is equal to 1

Ans – In Beam balance, the effort arm is equal to the load arm, so its mechanical advantage is equal to 1.

2. Class II Levers – [F – L – E]
GR- The MA in class II levers is always more than 1
Ans - In class II levers, the load is in between the fulcrum and the effort and the load is closer to the fulcrum.
Thus, the effort arm is always longer than the load arm. Hence, the mechanical advantage of class II levers is
always more than 1.
Examples: nut cracker, wheel barrow, paper cutter, mango cutter, lemon squeezer, bottle opener
 3. Class III Levers - [F – E – L]
GR- The MA in class III levers is always less than 1
Ans – Class III levers have the effort in between the fulcrum and the load. The effort is close to the fulcrum,
thus the effort arm is always shorter than the load arm. Hence, the mechanical advantage of class III levers is
always less than 1.
Examples: a pair of tongs, sugar tongs, knife, forceps, forearm of a person holding a load, spade for lifting
soil or coal etc.
How can the MA of a machine be increased or decreased?
1. The mechanical advantage of a lever can be increased by increasing the effort arm or reducing the load arm.
2. Friction at the fulcrum reduces the mechanical advantages.
Difference between:
CLASS I CLASS II CLASS III
1. Fulcrum is in between the load and 1. Load is in between the fulcrum 1. Effort is in between the fulcrum and
the effort. and the effort. the load.
2. The effort arm can be shorter, equal 2. The effort arm is always 2. The effort arm is always shorter
to or longer than the load arm. longer than the load arm. than the load arm.
3. The mechanical advantage can be 3. The mechanical advantage is 3. The mechanical advantage is always
less than, equal to or greater than 1. always greater than 1. less than 1.
4. The load and the effort both are in 4. The load and the effort are in 4. The load and the effort are in
the same direction. opposite directions. opposite directions.

2. PULLEY: A pulley is a simple machine used to raise a load by changing the direction of the effort.
A pulley is used for lifting up a load like a bucket full of water from a well, a heavy material in a factory, a
car engine in a garage. A pulley is a circular disc made of a metal or wood. The disc has an axle at its centre
and a groove along its rim through which a rope can pass around. The ends of the axle are supported on a
frame which is called the block. The block of the pulley is attached to a fixed support.
GR – We use a pulley to draw water from a well.
To raise a load [bucket], the load is attached to one end of the string and the effort is applied at
the other end by pulling it in downward direction. It is difficult to lift the bucket directly upwards
as more effort is needed, but a pulley makes it easy by changing the direction of the effort
M.A OF PULLEY
In an ideal pulley, the effort applied is equal to the load to be lifted. Effort = Load
GR - In an ideal pulley the MA is equal to 1 but in an actual pulley the MA is less than 1
Ans – In actual pulley due to friction, the effort is more than the load and the mechanical advantage is less
than 1. The reason we use the pulley when its mechanical advantage is equal to 1 or less than 1 is that the
pulley allows us to apply the effort downwards. To raise a load directly upwards is difficult, but with the help of
a pulley, the effort can be applied in the downward direction which helps to move the load upwards. A person
can also hang onto it and make use of his own weight in order to apply the effort.

3. WHEEL AND AXLE - A simple machine that consists of a wheel attached to an axle. The wheel is the
circular object which rotates on its axis. As the wheel rotates, the axle also rotates with it and advances
linearly. If there are two wheels, the effort is applied on the bigger wheel (wheel) and load is attached with
the smaller wheel (axle).
GR – A door knob is an example of a wheel and axle.
The knob of the door is the wheel attached to which is the axle that controls the opening of lock. It provides linear
motion by rotation of wheel and so it reduces the friction as rolling friction is less than the sliding friction.
Examples: Steering wheel of a car, bicycle pedal, door knob, screw driver, water tap etc.

4. INCLINED PLANE - An inclined plane is a slanting wooden plank or a sloping surface. It is a

simple machine which is used to move a load up with a less effort. The effort required to push a
load up an inclined plane is less than the load. Thus, the mechanical advantage of an inclined
plane is always greater than 1.
For greater MA (or less effort) the length of slope AB must be much more than its vertical
height CB. The MA is more when the slope is less steep as the effort needed to push the load up is less.
Examples:
1. A coolie while loading a heavy drum on a truck uses a wooden plank.
2. A ramp is provided in a building which helps people in keeping their scooters, motor cycles or bicycles inside
the building by pushing it along the ramp.
3. Hospitals and huge buildings are provided with ramps which help nurses to move up the patients on a
stretcher or to carry heavy equipment.
4. Staircases in our homes are also made as inclined planes.
5. The roads on a hill are made inclined with a small slope.
5. WEDGE - A simple machine having a sharp edge which is formed by putting two inclined planes
together.
A heavy wedge with a sharp edge is easy to drive into the log and split it into two pieces.
Examples: Knife, axe, plough, nail, saw, needle

6. Screw – It appears like an inclined plane wound around a rod with a pointed tip. It is made by cutting
spiral grooves or threads on the surface of a metal rod. The one end of the rod is made pointed which is
called the tip of the screw. The other end is flat, head of the screw. A narrow slit is made on the head of the
screw so as to turn the screw with the help of a screw driver.
GR – We hammer a nail but not a screw into wood./A screw is a modified form of an inclined plane.
We need more effort to hammer a nail into wood but it is easy to drive a screw into the wood by turning it with a
screw driver and it need less effort as compared to nail. The screw works as an inclined plane. Hence, a screw is
a modified form of an inclined plane.

1. Calculate the mechanical advantage for a load of 40 N, when the required force to lift the load is 15 N.

2. Mechanical advantage of a machine is 4. It is used to raise a load of 30 kgf. What is the effort needed?

3. A machine that has a mechanical Advantage of 9 is used for a load of 765 Kgf. Find the required effort.

4. In a machine, a load of 490 N is supported by an effort of 7N. If the distance of fulcrum from the point where
the load acts is 10m, find the mechanical Advantage and length of the effort arm.