How does the mechanical advantage with input and output distance compare with the mechanical advantage using input and output force for the incline plane?

Answer 1

Mechanical advantage of an inclined plane: Ratio of force overcome by nature of weight of mass ( mass * acceleration due to gravity) to force required to move it.

Example: ( take g as 10 (m/s)/s )

A mass of 10 kg is on a 30 degree incline , which generates (10 * 10) 100 newtons vertically down, the vector of this parallel to and down the slope is 100 * sin 30 degrees = 100 * 0.5 = 50 newtons which is the force required by the input force, so the ratio = 100:50 = 2:1 which is the mechanical advantage.

This is also the ratio of vertical distance travelled by load : distance travelled up the slope

Answer 2

The mechanical advantage based on input/output distance for an inclined plane remains the same regardless of the angle of the incline. However, the mechanical advantage based on input/output force varies with the angle of the incline, becoming smaller for steeper inclines and larger for shallower inclines. In general, an inclined plane provides a consistent mechanical advantage based on distance but a variable mechanical advantage based on force.