Simple Machines - Incline at work
Incline at work
An inclined planeA simple machine with no moving parts; a slanted surface., also called a ramp, decreases the amount of force needed to lift a load or weight by increasing the distance the load travels. For example, an inclined plane that covers twice the distance of the vertical side will need half the amount of effort to lift a weight than if the weight was lifted straight up. The amount of work remains the same.
Historians theorize that ancient Egyptians used long, shallow ramps to help them carry five-ton stones up pyramids that soared hundreds of feet tall. Driveways, slides, and car ramps are modern-day examples of machines that make use of inclined planes.
A wedgeA simple machine; a form of inclined plane. looks like an inclined plane, yet it does work by moving (an...
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