What is the mechanical advantage (MA) of an inclined plane with a slope of 28 m and a height of 7 m?

To calculate the mechanical advantage (MA) of an inclined plane, you use the formula:

MA = Length of the slope / Height of the plane.

In this problem, the length of the slope is given as 28 meters, and the height of the inclined plane is 7 meters.

Plugging in the values:

MA = 28 m / 7 m = 4.

This calculation shows that the mechanical advantage of this inclined plane is 4. This means that using the inclined plane allows a user to lift a load four times easier than lifting it directly upward, effectively distributing the weight along the length of the slope.

Understanding how this mechanical advantage works is crucial in physics problems involving simple machines, as it illustrates the efficiency gained by using an inclined surface to lift heavy objects with less effort. The higher the mechanical advantage, the easier the load can be moved.