What is an inclined plane: An inclined plane is a machine used to help move objects and it has a slopping surface. There are many other names for the inclined plane such as a ramp
Inclined Planes are very commonly used to help people go to different floor levels. People use it when they are carrying a heavy load or when wheeling things up. There is also another name for the Inclined plane, the ramp. It is harder to carry a heavy load up the stairs because of the force of gravity and the distance. But with an inclined plane you are trading/exchanging the force for distance. It will be easier but it may take longer.
The inclined plane can help many people in many conditions. For example people in wheelchairs, parents and they're strollers, moving people and other multiple things that an inclined plane can help people for. Even at the park there are inclined planes such as the side for one. It has a slopping surface and is used to help children get down from one level to another. What is the lever: A lever is a bar that is used to support something at one point. The point where it is being supported is at the fulcrum.
There are three parts of a lever:
The effort- The force applied to use the lever
The fulcrum- The supporting point of the lever
The load- The force applied on the lever
There are three classes of the lever and each class is used to help you use the lever in a more efficient was that requires less effort. The first class This is a first class lever. The fulcrum is inbetween the load arm and the effort arm creating a equal distance between both arms. When using a first class lever you will have a mechanical advantage more than one. The input force(The effort ) is always moving in the opposite direction than the output force(the load).
The second class This is a second class lever. The fulcrum is not inbetween the load arm and the effort arm like in class one instead it is to the side of both the load arm and the effort arm. Also when using a second class lever you will have a mechanical advantage more than one. In a second class lever the input force(the effort) and the output force(the load) both move in the same direction this is because the fulcrum is not inbetween the effort arm and the load arm, it is to the side of both arm/forces.
The third class This is a third class lever.There are two things that make the third class lever special from the others. 1. The load arm is on the left and the effort arm is on the right. For the first and second class lever , the effort arm had always been on the left and the load arm had always been on the right. But for the third class it is switched around. 2. When using a third class lever you will have a mechanical advantage less than one.
You may play with or on things and don't realize that they are levers. Levers are used in common child toys such as a teeter totter. Also known as a seesaw or teeter totter. The fulcrum is the supporting point of the teeter totter. If two objects weigh the same and are placed in the same place but on opposite sides (like picture 1) then the teeter totter will be evened out because both loads weight the same. In picture 2 the girl on the left is smaller than the boy on the right. If the boy sat close to the edge of the teeter totter then the weight would be unbalanced because the boy weighs more then the girl causing more weight on the boy's side making the girl go up. But if the boy sits closer to the fulcrum(where the supporting point is) the weight would be evened out because the boy is moving towards the fulcrum, the balance, in which the boy is moving closer to the girl. So the weight would be balanced out. Watch these videos for more information:
Levers:
Inclined Planes
For more information visit these websites: (they will be opened in a new tab)
Click here to go back to home page Click here to take a quiz on the basics of Inclined Planes Click here to take a quiz on the basics of a lever. Click here to do a lab experiment on why inclined planes use gentle slopes Click here to do a lab experiment of the 3 classes of the lever Click here to go to "How are inclined plane and levers parent machines" Click here to go to "How inclined planes and levers work"
Basics on inclined plane and levers
What is an inclined plane:
An inclined plane is a machine used to help move objects and it has a slopping surface. There are many other names for the inclined plane such as a ramp
Inclined Planes are very commonly used to help people go to different floor levels. People use it when they are carrying a heavy load or when wheeling things up.
There is also another name for the Inclined plane, the ramp. It is harder to carry a heavy load up the stairs because of the force of gravity and the distance. But with an inclined plane you are trading/exchanging the force for distance. It will be easier but it may take longer.
The inclined plane can help many people in many conditions. For example people in wheelchairs, parents and they're strollers, moving people and other multiple things that an inclined plane can help people for. Even at the park there are inclined planes such as the side for one. It has a slopping surface and is used to help children get down from one level to another.
What is the lever:
A lever is a bar that is used to support something at one point. The point where it is being supported is at the fulcrum.
There are three parts of a lever:
There are three classes of the lever and each class is used to help you use the lever in a more efficient was that requires less effort.
The first class
This is a first class lever. The fulcrum is inbetween the load arm and the effort arm creating a equal distance between both arms.
When using a first class lever you will have a mechanical advantage more than one.
The input force(The effort ) is always moving in the opposite direction than the output force(the load).
This is a second class lever. The fulcrum is not inbetween the load arm and the effort arm like in class one instead it is to the side of both the load arm and the effort arm.
Also when using a second class lever you will have a mechanical advantage more than one.
In a second class lever the input force(the effort) and the output force(the load) both move in the same direction this is because the fulcrum is not inbetween the effort arm and the load arm, it is to the side of both arm/forces.
The third class
This is a third class lever.There are two things that make the third class lever special from the others.
1. The load arm is on the left and the effort arm is on the right. For the first and second class lever , the effort arm had always been on the left and the load arm had always been on the right. But for the third class it is switched around.
2. When using a third class lever you will have a mechanical advantage less than one.
You may play with or on things and don't realize that they are levers. Levers are used in common child toys such as a teeter totter.
Also known as a seesaw or teeter totter.
The fulcrum is the supporting point of the teeter totter. If two objects weigh the same and are placed in the same place but on opposite sides (like picture 1) then the teeter totter will be evened out because both loads weight the same. In picture 2 the girl on the left is smaller than the boy on the right. If the boy sat close to the edge of the teeter totter then the weight would be unbalanced because the boy weighs more then the girl causing more weight on the boy's side making the girl go up. But if the boy sits closer to the fulcrum(where the supporting point is) the weight would be evened out because the boy is moving towards the fulcrum, the balance, in which the boy is moving closer to the girl. So the weight would be balanced out.
Watch these videos for more information:
Levers:
Inclined Planes
For more information visit these websites: (they will be opened in a new tab)
Inclined planes:
http://www.ohio.edu/people/williar4/html/haped/nasa/simpmach/Inplane.htm
Levers:
http://www.ehow.com/info_8028939_two-basic-families-simple-machines.html
Click here to go back to home page
Click here to take a quiz on the basics of Inclined Planes
Click here to take a quiz on the basics of a lever.
Click here to do a lab experiment on why inclined planes use gentle slopes
Click here to do a lab experiment of the 3 classes of the lever
Click here to go to "How are inclined plane and levers parent machines"
Click here to go to "How inclined planes and levers work"