INCLINED PLANE

Inclined plane is made of a flat sloped surface and its purpose as a simple machine is to move something from a lower height to a higher height with less effort. In an inclined plane, a smaller input force is applied over a longer distance to overcome a heavier load.

An object simply placed on a tilted surface often slides down the surface because of the force in the downhill direction. The rate at which the object slides down is dependent upon how tilted the surface is; the greater the tilt of the surface, the faster the rate at which the object will slide down it. Friction is a force that offers resistance to movement when one object is in contact with another.

To understand an object’s motion on an inclined plane, it is important to analyze the forces acting upon it. The force of gravity (also known as weight) acts in a downward direction. When the angle of inclination is greater, and the slope is steeper there is more weight component to overcome. With a shallower slope the weight component is easier to overcome and requires less effort.

In ideal conditions, if there is no  frictional force, require push or effort will be equal to the component of weight of body along slant surface as shown in figure.

If an inclined plane is 6 meters long and 3 meters high. It will create an ideal mechanical advantage of 6 / 3 = 2. A good mechanical advantage is one that is greater than 1.