A wheel and axle uses two different diameter wheels mounted to a connecting axle. Force is applied to the larger wheel and large movements of this wheel result in small movements in the smaller wheel. Because a larger movement distance is being translated to a smaller distance, force is increased with a mechanical advantage equal to the ratio of the diameters of the wheels. An example of a wheel and axle is the steering wheel of a car.
If the radius of the axle is 5 and the radius of the wheel is 10, what is the mechanical advantage of this wheel and axle configuration?
| -5 | |
| 2.0 | |
| 10 | |
| 0.5 |