TI-Nspire™ Activities: Physics

In this activity, students determine the mechanical advantage of a single fixed pulley. First, they examine data on the force needed to lift various masses using a pulley.

They calculate the resistance force on the pulley. They study the data to determine the approximate mechanical advantage of the pulley.

Finally, they make a plot of resistance force vs. effort force and use a best-fit line to find the average mechanical advantage. They confirm that the mechanical advantage of a single fixed pulley is 1.