How to calculate mechanical advantage?


With the help of a machine, a small force or effort can be applied to transfer too much resistance or load. In doing so, however, the applied force must pass through a greater distance than if it could move the load directly.
The mechanical advantage (MA) of a given machine is the factor by which it multiplies any applied force.

Mechanical advantage (MA) is a type of measurement which calculates the amplified force taken by the mechanical system.
It gives the ratio between the force applied to the load and the force required to overcome the given force, and it is a unitless expression since the two ratio quantities are the force with the same unit.
In general terms, the mechanical advantage is a ratio of the force exerted by the machine to the force applied to the machine.

Formula to calculate mechanical advantage:

$MA=\frac{{F}_{B}}{{F}_{A}}$

MA = Mechanical advantage 
Fthe force of the object
Fthe effort to overcome the force

Example:
Calculate the value of mechanical advantage value if 500 Newton force is required to overcome a load of 1000 Newton.

Solution:
The given parameters are,
FA = 500 N
FB = 1000N

Now, using Mechanical advantage formula as,

$MA=\frac{{F}_{B}}{{F}_{A}}$

$MA=\frac{1000}{500}$

$MA=2$

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Updated on: 10-Oct-2022

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