DUE: THURSDAY (11/1/12) START OF CLASS
Name: ____________________ Period: ________________ Date: _______________
Purpose: To explore the mechanical advantage provided by different pulley
systems. You will be examining different pulley configurations to help you
understand the concept of Mechanical Advantage (MA).
Materials: ring stand, pulleys, string, spring scale, weight, meter stick
Vocabulary: block and tackle, conservation of energy, efficiency, friction, input
force, load, mechanical advantage, output force, pulley, pulley system, simple
machine, work
Prior Knowledge
A pulley is a wheel with a groove for a rope or cable. The image at left shows
an example of a pulley system, also called a block and tackle.
Procedure:
#1: Single Fix Pulley
1. Use spring scale to determine the objects mass (record in data
table).
2. Setup pulley as shown.
3. Use the spring scale to measure the force required to lift the weight
(record in data table).
4. Count the number of strings pulling in the upward direction (record in
data table).
5. Measure the height the object moves versus the distance the spring
scale moves (record in data table).
6. Calculate AMA and IMA (record in data table).
#2: Single Moveable Pulley
1. Use spring scale to determine the objects mass (record in data table).
2. Setup pulley as shown.
3. Use the spring scale to measure the force required to lift the weight (record
in data table).
4. Count the number of strings pulling in the upward direction (record in data
table).
5. Measure the height the object moves versus the distance the spring scale
moves (record in data table).
6. Calculate AMA and IMA (record in data table).
Pulley Acti vity
Page 2
#3: Single Fixed, Single Moveable
1. Use spring scale to determine the objects mass (record in data
table).
2. Setup pulley as shown.
3. Use the spring scale to measure the force required to lift the weight
(record in data table).
4. Count the number of strings pulling in the upward direction (record in
data table).
5. Measure the height the object moves versus the distance the spring
scale moves (record in data table).
6. Calculate AMA and IMA (record in data table).
#4: Double Fixed, Single Moveable
1. Use spring scale to determine the objects mass (record in data table).
2. Setup pulley as shown.
3. Use the spring scale to measure the force required to lift the weight (record
in data table).
4. Count the number of strings pulling in the upward direction (record in data
table).
5. Measure the height the object moves versus the distance the spring scale
moves (record in data table).
6. Calculate AMA and IMA (record in data table).
#5 Double Fixed, Double Moveable
1. Use spring scale to determine the objects mass (record in data
table).
2. Setup pulley as shown.
3. Use the spring scale to measure the force required to lift the weight
(record in data table).
4. Count the number of strings pulling in the upward direction (record in
data table).
5. Measure the height the object moves versus the distance the spring
scale moves (record in data table).
6. Calculate AMA and IMA (record in data table).
Pulley Acti vity
Page 3
Concept: The law of conservation of energy states that in a closed system the total energy
is constant. In other words, energy is neither created nor destroyed.
When using a simple machine, you use less force. What do you have to do more of in
exchange?_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
How does a pulley system demonstrate conservation of energy? __________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Concept: A pulley is an example of a simple machine. Many simple machines are useful
because they allow the user to lift a heavy weight using less force than it would take to lift the
weight directly. The mechanical advantage of the machine is a measure of this benefit.
Explain why the number of supporting ropes determines the mechanical advantage?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Why can you count a section of rope you are pulling up on, but not a section you are
pulling down on? _________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
How does friction affect the mechanical advantage of a pulley system? ____________
__________________________________________________________________________
Pulley Acti vity
Page 4
Pulley Lab Data Sheet
Actual Mechanical Advantage (AMA) =(weight of the object) / (measured force required to lift the object)
Ideal Mechanical Advantage (IMA) =(Length of string pulled) / (Distance object lifted)
Pulley
Configuration
# Strings
Going Up
Object Weight
(N)
Force
Required to
Lift Weight (N)
AMA
Height Lifted
(cm)
Length of
String Pulled
(cm)
IMA
#1. Single
Fixed
#2. Single
Moveable
#3. Single
Fixed, Single
Moveable
#4. Double
fixed,
Single
Moveable
#5. Double
Fixed, Double
Moveable
