A group of students were setting up their school auditorium for a rock concert to be held over the weekend.
The students used a ramp to get one of the large speakers onto the stage. The students know that Work = Force x Distance. Which of the following BEST explains the advantage of using the ramp instead of lifting the speaker onto the stage?
a
More energy is created by using the ramp
b
The amount of work done is decreased by using the ramp.
c
Less force is required by using the ramp.
d
The mass of the speaker is reduced by using the ramp.
c
Less force is required by using the ramp.
The correct answer is c) Less force is required by using the ramp.
Using a ramp allows the students to reduce the amount of force needed to lift the speaker onto the stage. When an object is lifted straight up, the force required is equal to its weight. However, when using a ramp, the force required to move the object up the ramp is less since the ramp provides an inclined surface that reduces the vertical component of the force. This advantage allows the students to exert less force while still being able to move the speaker onto the stage, making the task easier.