Compare the mechanical advantage of a long, thin wedge with that of a short, wide wedge. Which is greater!?

Question

um yeah this is a science question and its talking about the wedge from the inclined plane family PLZ PLZ help =]

Answer 1

Mechanical advantage is a ratio of (Resistance to the force)/(Actual effort Force). So the short fat wedge will face a lot more resistance (Imagine splitting firewood with a wedge and sledgehammer). If you hit a thin wedge with the same force, It would have a lot less resistance from the wood because there is less wood that is being pushed apart by the wedge. so I would Say that the fat wedge has a higher MA.

Good Luck

Answer 2

Mechanical Advantage Of A Wedge

Answer 3

The thin wedge has the higher mechanical advantage. Assuming no friction, the total work done is always the same, and is equal to force x distance.

A simple machine is used to create a greater force and it achieves it by moving the load a smaller distance. So the mechanical advantage (in the ideal case) is either the ratio of the forces or the ratio of the distances because they are the same.

(i.e. force force on the load divided by force exerted =
distance force is applied divided by distance load moves)

In the context of a wedge, driving in a thin wedge is easier than driving in a thick wedge, but the load moves less (it moves the thickness of the wedge) so a thin long wedge has the higher mechanical advantage.