Wheelchair Ramp
Provides accessible slope for wheelchairs.
Building assembly…
3D ASSEMBLY · OPERATE TO SEE FORCESInclined plane assembly
- Ramp surfaceLength L along which effort acts
- Height HVertical rise of the load
- Load blockWeight mg acting downward
- Effort forceForce parallel to the ramp
Real-world applications of Inclined Plane
Truck Cargo Ramp
Slide heavy boxes up into delivery vans.
Mountain Road
Zig-zag paths decrease slope angle for vehicles.
How this machine saves effort
Ideal mechanical advantage grows as the ramp gets longer (or flatter).
MA across machines
Ramp, pulley, lever class, wedge, gears, Atwood, and hydraulics all trade distance or area for force.
See work & energy
Work done against gravity is mgh. On a ramp you apply a smaller force over a longer distance — energy is conserved, not created.
Common misconception
A ramp does not reduce the work you must do against gravity; it reduces the effort force by increasing the distance.