Mechanical advantage (MA) is the ratio by which effort force relates to resistance force. If both forces are known, calculating MA is simply a matter of dividing resistance force by effort force:

MA = \( \frac{F_r}{F_e} \) = \( \frac{6 ft.}{8.57 ft.} \) = 0.7

In this case, the mechanical advantage is less than one meaning that each unit of effort force results in just 0.7 units of resistance force. However, a third class lever like this isn't designed to multiply force like a first class lever. A third class lever is designed to multiply distance and speed at the resistance by sacrificing force at the resistance. Different lever styles have different purposes and multiply forces in different ways.

As an object falls, its potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. The principle of conservation of mechanical energy states that, as long as no other forces are applied, total mechanical energy (PE + KE) of the object will remain constant at all points in its descent.

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.

The mechanical advantage of a wheel and axle is the input radius divided by the output radius:

MA = \( \frac{r_i}{r_o} \)

In this case, the input radius (where the effort force is being applied) is 3 and the output radius (where the resistance is being applied) is 4 for a mechanical advantage of \( \frac{3}{4} \) = 0.75

Dead load is the weight of the building and materials, live load is additional weight due to occupancy or use, snow load is the weight of accumulated snow on a structure and wind load is the force of wind pressures against structure surfaces.