In a wheel and axle, the radius of the wheel is 20 cm and the radius of the axle is 4 cm. What is the mechanical advantage?

Answer 1

The mechanical advantage (MA) of a wheel and axle can be calculated using the formula:

\[ \text{MA} = \frac{\text{Radius of the wheel}}{\text{Radius of the axle}} \]

In this case:

• Radius of the wheel \( R_w = 20 \) cm
• Radius of the axle \( R_a = 4 \) cm

Substituting these values into the formula gives:

\[ \text{MA} = \frac{20 , \text{cm}}{4 , \text{cm}} = 5 \]

Therefore, the mechanical advantage of the wheel and axle is 5.