1. What is Mechanical Advantage of a Simple Pulley?

A simple pulley system with one movable pulley has a mechanical advantage of 2. This means it can lift a load twice as heavy as the input force applied.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the simple pulley formula:

Where:

• \( MA \) — Mechanical Advantage (dimensionless)
• The output force is calculated as: \( F_{out} = MA \times F_{in} \)

Explanation: The mechanical advantage comes from distributing the load's weight between two supporting rope segments.

3. Importance of Mechanical Advantage

Details: Mechanical advantage determines how much a simple machine multiplies the input force. For pulleys, it shows how much easier it becomes to lift heavy loads.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the input force in newtons (N). The calculator will show the mechanical advantage (always 2 for simple pulley) and the resulting output force.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why is MA always 2 for a simple pulley?
A: Because the load is supported by two rope segments, effectively dividing the weight between them.

Q2: How can I increase the mechanical advantage?
A: By adding more pulleys to create a compound pulley system, which can increase MA further.

Q3: Does friction affect the actual MA?
A: Yes, in real systems friction reduces the effective MA, though this calculator shows the ideal value.

Q4: What's the trade-off for having mechanical advantage?
A: You must pull the rope twice as far as the load moves upward (conservation of energy).

Q5: Can MA be less than 2 in pulley systems?
A: Yes, fixed pulleys (that only change direction) provide MA = 1, while compound systems can have MA > 2.