NSMQ Simple Machines

Complete Formula Sheet with 5 Worked Examples Each

1. Mechanical Advantage (MA)

MA = Load / Effort

■ TRICK: If MA > 1 → force multiplier. If MA < 1 → speed multiplier.

Example 2
An effort of 250 N is applied to move a load of 1000 N. Find the MA.
MA = 1000 / 250 = 4

Example 3
A pulley system has MA = 6. If effort = 80 N, find the load lifted.
Load = MA × Effort = 6 × 80 = 480 N

Example 4
A machine lifts a load of 720 N and has MA = 9. Find the effort required.
Effort = Load / MA = 720 / 9 = 80 N

Example 5
A load of 3600 N is lifted by an effort of 400 N. Find MA and state its meaning.
MA = 3600 / 400 = 9

This means the machine multiplies force 9 times.

2. Velocity Ratio (VR)

VR = Distance moved by Effort / Distance moved by Load

■ TRICK: VR is always exact — friction NEVER affects VR.

Example 2
VR = 4, load moves 3 m. How far does effort move?
Effort distance = VR × Load distance = 4 × 3 = 12 m

Example 3
Effort moves 8 m, VR = 2. How far does load move?
 Load distance = 8 / 2 = 4 m

Example 4
Screw jack: load moves 0.5 cm per turn, effort arm = 30 cm. Find VR.
Effort distance = 2π × 30 = 188.5 cm

VR = 188.5 / 0.5 = 377

Example 5
Effort rope moves 6 m when load rises 1.5 m. Find VR.
VR = 6 / 1.5 = 4

3. Efficiency (η)

η = (MA / VR) × 100% OR η = (Work Output / Work Input) × 100%

■ TRICK: Find MA: MA = (η% × VR) / 100 | Find VR: VR = (MA × 100) / η%
Example 1
MA = 4, VR = 5. Find efficiency.
η = (4 / 5) × 100 = 80%

Example 2
VR = 6, efficiency = 75%. Find MA.
MA = (75 × 6) / 100 = 4.5

Example 3
Work output = 600 J, work input = 800 J. Find efficiency.
η = (600 / 800) × 100 = 75%

Example 4
Efficiency = 80%, MA = 4. Find VR.
VR = (4 × 100) / 80 = 5

Example 5
Load 400 N moves 2 m; effort 100 N moves 10 m. Find efficiency.
Work output = 400 × 2 = 800 J

Work input = 100 × 10 = 1000 J

η = (800 / 1000) × 100 = 80%

4. Principle of Moments (Levers)

Load × Load Arm = Effort × Effort Arm

■ TRICK: Ideal lever: η = 100%, so Load × Load Arm = Effort × Effort Arm directly.
Example 1
Effort arm = 3 m, load arm = 1 m, load = 600 N. Find effort.
 Effort = (600 × 1) / 3 = 200 N

Example 2
Effort = 150 N at 4 m from fulcrum, load arm = 1 m. Find load.
Load = (150 × 4) / 1 = 600 N

Example 3
2nd class lever: load arm = 0.5 m, effort arm = 2 m. Find VR.
VR = 2 / 0.5 = 4

Example 4
Load = 900 N, load arm = 0.3 m, effort arm = 0.9 m. Find effort.
Effort = (900 × 0.3) / 0.9 = 300 N

Example 5
Seesaw: 500 N at 2 m from fulcrum. Where must 250 N balance it?
500 × 2 = 250 × d

d = 1000 / 250 = 4 m

5. Pulleys

Fixed: VR = 1 | Movable: VR = 2 | Block & Tackle: VR = n (rope segments)

Efficiency: η = Load / (n × Effort) × 100%

■ TRICK: Count only ropes pulling UP on the movable block to find n.

η = (0.91 / 1) × 100 = 91%

Example 2
Movable pulley lifts 400 N. Find ideal effort.
Ideal effort = Load / VR = 400 / 2 = 200 N

Example 3
Movable pulley: effort = 220 N, load = 400 N. Find MA and efficiency.
MA = 400 / 220 = 1.818

η = (1.818 / 2) × 100 = 90.9%

Example 4
Block & tackle: n = 5, load = 800 N, effort = 200 N. Find efficiency.
η = 800 / (5 × 200) × 100 = 80%

Example 5
n = 6, efficiency = 70%. Find effort to lift 840 N.
MA = (70 × 6) / 100 = 4.2
 Effort = 840 / 4.2 = 200 N

6. Inclined Plane

VR = L/h = 1/sinθ | Frictionless: E = W sinθ

With friction: E = W(sinθ + µcosθ) | η = sinθ / (sinθ + µcosθ) × 100%

■ TRICK: θ = 30° → VR = 2 | θ = 45° → VR = 1.41 | More friction → lower efficiency

Example 2
θ = 30°, frictionless, W = 500 N. Find effort.
E = 500 × sin30° = 500 × 0.5 = 250 N

Example 3
W = 500 N, θ = 30°, µ = 0.2. Find effort with friction.
E = 500(sin30° + 0.2 × cos30°) = 500(0.5 + 0.173) = 336.5 N

Example 4
θ = 30°, µ = 0.1. Find efficiency.
η = 0.5 / (0.5 + 0.1 × 0.866) × 100 = 0.5 / 0.5866 × 100 = 85.2%

Example 5
W = 800 N, θ = 45°, µ = 0.3. Find effort and efficiency.
E = 800(0.707 + 0.3 × 0.707) = 800 × 0.919 = 735.3 N

η = 0.707 / 0.919 × 100 = 76.9%

7. Wheel and Axle

VR = R/r = D/d | η = (r × Load) / (R × Effort) × 100%

■ TRICK: Effort at wheel → force multiplier (MA > 1). Effort at axle → speed multiplier.
Example 1
Wheel radius = 30 cm, axle radius = 5 cm. Find VR.
VR = 30 / 5 = 6

Example 2
VR = 8, axle radius = 4 cm. Find wheel radius.
R = 8 × 4 = 32 cm

Example 3
R = 25 cm, r = 5 cm, effort = 50 N. Find load (ideal).
VR = MA = 25/5 = 5
 Load = 5 × 50 = 250 N

Example 4
Load = 720 N, R = 36 cm, r = 6 cm, effort = 150 N. Find efficiency.
MA = 720/150 = 4.8

VR = 36/6 = 6

η = (4.8/6) × 100 = 80%

Example 5
Wheel diameter = 60 cm, axle diameter = 10 cm. Find VR.
VR = 60 / 10 = 6

8. Screw

VR = 2πL / P (L = effort arm length, P = pitch)

■ TRICK: Smaller pitch → higher VR → greater possible MA → more force but slower.
Example 1
L = 20 cm, P = 0.5 cm. Find VR.
VR = 2π × 20 / 0.5 = 125.66 / 0.5 = 251.3

Example 2
L = 14 cm, P = 0.2 cm. Find VR.
VR = 2π × 14 / 0.2 = 439.8

Example 3
VR = 314, P = 1 cm. Find L.
L = (314 × 1) / 2π = 50 cm

Example 4
L = 10 cm, P = 0.4 cm, η = 40%, load = 2000 N. Find effort.
VR = 2π × 10 / 0.4 = 157.1

MA = (40 × 157.1) / 100 = 62.8

Effort = 2000 / 62.8 = 31.8 N

Example 5
L = 25 cm, P = 0.5 cm, η = 30%, effort = 20 N. Find load.
VR = 2π × 25 / 0.5 = 314.2

MA = (30 × 314.2) / 100 = 94.25

Load = 94.25 × 20 = 1885 N

9. Gears
 VR = T■/T■ = N■/N■ | N■T■ = N■T■

■ TRICK: More teeth on driven gear → slower but more torque (force). Fewer teeth → faster.
Example 1
Driving gear = 20 teeth, driven = 60 teeth. Find VR.
VR = 60 / 20 = 3 (force multiplier)

Example 2
N■ = 300 rpm, T■ = 30, T■ = 10. Find speed of driven gear.
N■ = 300 × 30 / 10 = 900 rpm

Example 3
N■ = 200 rpm, N■ = 800 rpm, T■ = 40. Find T■.
T■ = 200 × 40 / 800 = 10 teeth

Example 4
T■ = 25, T■ = 100, η = 85%. Find MA.
VR = 100/25 = 4

MA = (85 × 4) / 100 = 3.4

Example 5
Driving gear 15 teeth at 600 rpm meshes with 45-tooth driven gear. Find VR and speed.
VR = 45/15 = 3

N■ = 600 × 15/45 = 200 rpm

10. Work and Power

Work = Force × Distance | Power = Work / Time = Fv

Work Input = Effort × Effort Distance | Work Output = Load × Load Distance

Example 1
Force = 200 N moves box 5 m. Find work done.
W = 200 × 5 = 1000 J

Example 2
Machine does 5000 J in 25 s. Find power.
P = 5000 / 25 = 200 W

Example 3
Effort 150 N moves 8 m; load 500 N moves 2 m. Find efficiency.
Work input = 150 × 8 = 1200 J

Work output = 500 × 2 = 1000 J

η = (1000/1200) × 100 = 83.3%

Example 4
Motor lifts 600 N load at 3 m/s. Find power.
 P = Fv = 600 × 3 = 1800 W = 1.8 kW

Example 5
Power = 500 W, runs for 2 minutes. Find work done.
W = P × t = 500 × 120 = 60,000 J = 60 kJ

Quick Reference Summary Table

Machine VR Formula Efficiency Formula

Lever Effort arm / Load arm (MA/VR) × 100

Fixed Pulley 1 MA × 100

Movable Pulley 2 (Load / 2E) × 100

Block & Tackle n (rope segments) (Load / nE) × 100

Inclined Plane L/h or 1/sinθ sinθ / (sinθ + µcosθ) × 100

Wheel & Axle R/r (r × Load) / (R × Effort) × 100

Screw 2πL/P (P × MA / 2πL) × 100

Gears T■/T■ (T■ × N■) / (T■ × N■) × 100

Golden Rules: Real machine → MA < VR, η < 100% | Ideal machine → MA = VR, η = 100% | VR never affected
by friction