Mechanics deals with motion and the forces that produce motion.

Coefficient of friction (μ) represents how much two materials resist sliding across each other.  Smooth surfaces like ice have low coefficients of friction while rough surfaces like concrete have high μ.

A block and tackle is a combination of one or more fixed pulleys and one or more movable pulleys where the fixed pulleys change the direction of the effort force and the movable pulleys multiply it. The mechanical advantage is equal to the number of times the effort force changes direction and can be increased by adding more pulley wheels to the system. An easy way to find the mechanical advantage of a block and tackle pulley system is to count the number of ropes that support the resistance.

An inclined plane is a simple machine that reduces the force needed to raise an object to a certain height. Work equals force x distance and, by increasing the distance that the object travels, an inclined plane reduces the force necessary to raise it to a particular height. In this case, the mechanical advantage is to make the task easier. An example of an inclined plane is a ramp.

Potential energy is the energy of an object by virtue of its position relative to other objects. It is energy that has the potential to be converted into kinetic energy.