On a wheel & axle, where would you apply force to make a greater force?
To exert a greater force on a wheel and axle system, you would need to apply the force at a larger distance from the axis or axle. The farther away from the axis the force is applied, the greater the force will be. This is due to the principle of torque, where the force applied at a greater distance from the axis produces a larger turning effect or force.
To make a greater force on a wheel and axle, you would apply the force at a greater distance from the center of the wheel. The greater distance from the center of the wheel results in a larger lever arm, which increases the torque and ultimately the force.
To make a greater force on a wheel and axle, you would need to apply force at a greater distance from the center of the axle. This principle, known as the mechanical advantage, is based on the concept of leverage.
The mechanical advantage (MA) of a wheel and axle is determined by the ratio of the radius or diameter of the wheel to the radius or diameter of the axle. The MA is calculated by dividing the radius (or diameter) of the wheel by the radius (or diameter) of the axle.
To apply force at a greater distance from the center of the axle, you would need to exert the force on the outer rim of the wheel. The larger the distance between the force application point and the axle center, the greater the leverage, and thus the greater the force produced.
For example, if the wheel has a radius of 10 cm and the axle has a radius of 2 cm, the mechanical advantage would be 10/2 = 5. This means that for every unit of force you apply at the outer rim of the wheel, you would generate 5 times that force at the axle.
In summary, to make a greater force on a wheel and axle, apply the force farther from the center of the axle, taking advantage of the mechanical leverage provided by the ratio of the wheel's radius to the axle's radius.