LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...THE INCLINED PLANE!Please Explore! Look at this COOL inclined plane machine!
Oh my goodness...a definition: The inclined plane is a plane surface set at an angle, other than a right angle, against a horizontal surface. The inclined plane permits one to overcome a large resistance by applying a relatively small force through a longer distance than the load is to be raised.
Ramps, sloping roads, chisels, hatchets, plows, air hammers, carpenter's planes---all of these are examples of the fourth basic machine: The inclined plane and its active twin brother the wedge. In the broadest sense, the wedge includes all devices for cutting and piercing---everything from a kitchen knife to the 'Flying Wedge' of football, a play so effective in splitting the opponents' formation it was outlawed. It is easier to understand how a wedge works by looking at the inclined plane, which is nothing more than a wedge sliced in half. The wedge does its job by moving... the inclined plane is held stationary while the "wedged material" is moved over it. The secret of the plane's mechanical advantage lies in its ability to split the force of gravity into two smaller forces; one perpendicular to and one parallel to the plane. It is only the parallel force which needs to be counteracted by pushing an object laying on the plane. If there is no friction on the plane, the pushing effort required will be 1/10th the weight if the length of the plane is 10 times its height. A similar relationship holds for any plane: the extra distance makes it possible to apply an effort smaller than the weight.
OKAY Web Landers...let's see how many of these |
