MACHINES

Introduction

A machine is a device that requires little amount of force to perform a

physical task. It can also be define as a device that is designed to either
increase the size of a force or distance in moving object from one point to
another. Types of machines are Pulley, levers, incline plane, screw etc.

Force multipliers

Any machine that allows small effort to move larger load is refers to as force
multipliers. Examples crowbar, wheelbarrow, bottle opener etc. The number
of times the machine multiplies this effort is referred to as Mechanical
advantage. In other words mechanical advantage of a machine is the ratio of
load moved to the effort used.
load
Mechanical advantage (MA)=
effort

L
MA=
E

All force multipliers have a mechanical advantage greater than 1.

When a machine is used to multiplies effort energy is conserved making the

effort to move a greater distance than the load. The number of times the
effort move than load is known as velocity ratio

Velocity ratio is define as the ratio of distance move by effort to the distance
move by load.
distance moved by effort
Velocity Ratio (VR) =
distance moved by load
De
VR =
Dl

The velocity ratio of a machine is always greater than it’s mechanical

advantage.

EFFICIENCY OF A MACHINE
The conversation of energy requires that energy should not be created nor
should it be destroyed. When we measure the energy output as work done
on the load by a machine, we find out that it is less than the energy input.
The machine also does work against frictional forces and sometimes does
work in moving itself. The work done against friction is wasted heat energy
and a little noise energy.

Energy input = useful energy output + wasted energy output

Since some energy is wasted, a machine is not completely efficient

Efficiency of a machine is giving by

Efficiency = useful energy output/ total energy * 100%

Efficiency of a machine is also calculated as

Efficiency= useful work output/ total work input *100%

Useful work output= load x distance moved by load

Useful work input= Effort* distance moved by effort

Efficiency= load x distance moved by load/ effort x distance moved

by effort * 100%
Load distance moved by load
Efficiency= x x 100 %
effort distance by moved by effort
MA
Efficiency = * 100%
VR
useful power output
Efficiency= x 100 %
total power input

Examples

A crane lifts a 100kg block of concrete through a vertical height of 16m in

20s. If the power input of the motor of the crane is 1000W, what is the
efficiency of the motor.

Pulleys

A pulley is an efficient machine used in lifting heavy objects. It’s mostly used
practical in wells for drawing water and in construction site to lift heavy loads
and p the building. Some advantage of pulley system is:
  Lifting heavy loads during building
 Carry water from the well
 Used in Cranes
 In garage for lifting engine

The efficiency of pulley system and other machine is not always up to 100%
because some input energy is used to overcome friction in the moving parts
of the machine.

Types of pulleys

1. Single fixed pulleys

The single fixed pulley consist of a single wheel fixed at a point with a
string over the grooved wheel used in lifting load.

When the effort E is applied to the string, tension develops throughout

the string and the effort E lifts the load, L at the other end. If the
friction between the rope and the pulley wheel is neglected, then the
effort E is equal to the load L only if the pulley is 100% efficient.
Load
MA =
effort
Since load= effort,. MA = 1
If the effort move down through a distance of two meters for example
the load moved through a distance of 2 meters.
VR = distance moved by load/ distance moved by effort

2m
VR= =1
2m
2. Single moving pulley
It’s consist of a single movable pulley with a movable wheel with a
string around the groove wheel.
 When an effort E, is applied on a string, a tension equal to E develops
in the string.
This tension is transmitted all through the string hence a force of 2E
lifts the load . That is L = 2E. To lift the load through a distance of 1m
each part is of the string must rise by 1m hence if load move a
distance of 1m the effort move a distance of 2m. The mechanical
advantage and velocity ratio are as follows.
L 2E
MA = = =2
E E
De 2 m
VR = = =2
Dl 1 m
3. Block and tackle pulley system
It is a system with two set of pulleys a movable pulley and fixed pulley.
The movable block is at the bottom while fixed block is at the top.

To lift the lower block through a vertical distance x , each part of the
string supporting the lower block must be shortened by x. As a result
the string at the free end must be pulled through a distance of x times
the number of strings supporting the lower movable block.
Thus if the load moved a distance dl = x then the effort move a
distance De = X x the number of strings supporting the lower block.
distance move by effort
VR =
distance move by load
x × number of str ings supporting lower block
=
x
Thus VR is equal to the number of strings supporting the lower block
VR is also equal to the number of pulley wheels for a block and tackle
pulley system
For a perfect machine ( a machine that is hundred percent efficient)
the force supporting the load is equal to the E × the number of string
supporting the load.

load Effort × number of strings surppoting the lower blocks

MÀ = =
effort Effort
Therefore MA = the number of strings supporting the lower block for a
perfect machine
Also VR = MA
Consider the block below

The load L = 3E
load 3 E
MA = = =3
Effort E
To move the load by 1m each string supporting the lower block move
by 1m hence the effort move by 3m.
distance move by effort 3 m
VR = = =3.
distance move by load 1 m
Examples
1. The figure below shows a pulley system used to draw water from a
well 8m deep. The bucket has a volume of 0.001m3
 I. What length of rope must be pulled to raise a bucket of
water out of the well?
II. If the mechanical advantage of the system is 2.4 and
density of water is 1000kg/m3. What effort would be
needed to just raise a bucket full of water out of the well?
( Ignore the weight of the bucket itself)
III. Calculate the efficiency of the system.
2. Below is a block and tackle pulley system on which an effort of 50N
is just able to lift a load of weight W. If the efficiency of the machine
is 40%. Find the value of W.
Exercise
Below is a pulley system used to lift a load.

a) What is the velocity ratio of the system?

b) Calculate the distance moved by the effort if the load is lifted
through a height of 40cm
c) In practice a pull of 80N is required to lift a load of 240N.
Calculate the mechanical advantage of the system
 d) What is the work done on the load
e) Calculate the efficiency of the system
f) Give two reasons why the efficiency is less than 100%

Inclined plane

It is easier to push a heavy object up a slope than to lift it up directly. This

principle is applied in inclined as shown below

For the load to be raised through a vertical hieght h the effort must move
through the whole length l of the inclined plane. Therefore velocity ratio of
inclined plane is given by
lenght of incline plane l
VR = =
height of inclined plane h
From trigonometry
h
Sin©=
l
1
Therefore VR =
sin 0
Example
A body of mass 7.5kg is to be pulled up along a plane which is inclined
at 30° to the horizontal. If the efficiency of the plane is 75% what is the
minimum force required to pull the body up the plane? (assume g =
10m/s)