PHYSICS LAB: EFFICIENCY OF A PULLEY SYSTEM

Name: ________________________ Date: _____________ Per.: _____

VOCABULARY:
Force

Distance

Work

Effort

Resistance

Input

Output

Efficiency

Ideal Mechanical Advantage (IMA)

Actual Mechanical Advantage (AMA) or Mechanical Advantage (MA)
(these two are the same thing...some textbooks use one notation,
and some the other...your book uses MA...I use AMA!)

EQUATIONS:

W
input
= F
e
d
e
W
output
= F
r
d
r
%Efficiency = Wout x100
Win
de
dr
Fe
Fr

IMA = d
e
AMA = F
r
% Efficiency = AMA x100
d
r
F
e
IMA

PROCEDURE:
1. Set up a pulley system as directed in pre-lab discussion. Use about 3 meters of string, and then cut
off extra.

2. Use the 1000 g mass for F
r
. NOTE: Technically the 1 kg mass weighs 9.8 N, but it is OK to use either the
9.8 value or the 10 value for conversions in this lab, as long as you are consistent throughout the lab. The
error is just 2%. Record F
r
as 1000 g, and then as either 9.8 N or 10.0 N.

3. Choose weights for F
e
such that a slight push downward will cause the weights to move downward at
constant speed (this means that you have exactly balanced the friction force). Record in grams and then
convert to nearest 0.1 N.

4. Once the proper weights for F
r
have been determined, adjust the system so that the tops of the effort and
resistance weights are even with each other. Carefully note their height from the floor.

5. Move the effort weights down 50.0 cm from the position in (4), and note that the resistance weight
simultaneously moves up. Carefully note the new height of the resistance weight, and use subtraction to
determine how far it moved. The effort distance is 50.0 cm, and the resistance distance is the distance the
resistance weight moved upward. Record both distances to nearest 0.1 cm and then convert to nearest
0.001 m.

6. Count the number of strings supporting the load. Record.

7. Draw a diagram which clearly shows the arrangement of strings and pulley wheels in your system. The
diagram should clearly show where the string is tied initially, and how many strings are supporting the load.
The diagram above is an example of an acceptable drawing.
DATA:
F
r
d
r
F
e
d
e
Strings
Supporting
Load
g cm
g
cm

N

m
N
m
*****************

CALCULATIONS:

Calculate the six items noted below. For EACH calculation
show 4-PART SAMPLE CALCULATIONS
include UNITS with values in calculations WHEN APPLICABLE
express WORK values in joules (J)

Work Output


Work Input


% Efficiency (using work values)



AMA


IMA


% Efficiency (using mechanical advantage values)



QUESTIONS:
1. How can you quickly tell the IMA of a pulley system by inspection?


2. If output work in a pulley system is always less than input work, why are pulleys used?


3. (a) If there were no friction in the pulley system, how would IMA compare to AMA?

(b) Which one is always larger in real pulley systems with friction?


4. (a) If there were no friction in the pulley system, how would W
out
compare to W
in
?

(b) Which one is always larger in real pulley systems with friction?

5. Which ONE of the following quantities is affected by friction? Does friction make the quantity larger of
smaller?
F
r
, d
r
, F
e
, d
e


6. On the basis of your answers to questions 3,4, and 5, briefly explain why AMA is always smaller than IMA,
and W
in
is always larger than W
out
.