Simple Machines – Inclined Plane

This wooden inclined plane is elegantly designed and easy to use for students. It comes with a built in mass but the cart has a shallow indent for adding mass if needed. An inclined plane is a flat supporting surface tilted at an angle, with one end higher than the other, used as an aid for raising or lowering a load. They are widely used to move heavy loads over vertical obstacles, for instance a loading ramp on a truck or bus and a pedestrian ramp. The ramp of the inclined plane can be adjusted in height, making it possible to find out if the angle of the ramp influences the force needed to let the cart move up the ramp. And what is the effect of the mass of the cart on the force needed? This model is perfect for inquiry based experiments. Students will form hypotheses about the relation between the mass of the cart, the angle of the ramp and the force needed to move the cart up. Then, they can test their hypothesis by performing the experiment, changing the variables to discover if their original thoughts were correct. Students can study several different simple machine concepts with this one apparatus. This wooden model is ideal for classroom demonstrations because of its sturdy construction.

This apparatus can model how the use of an inclined plane can increase mechanical advantage. The model is made of particle board and wooden components. The cart comes with rubber wheels and the track of the inclined plane has grooves to guide the cart. The model comes with instructions to facilitate both students and teacher with the use of this apparatus. The model measures 42 cm (W) x 8.2 cm (L) with an adjustable height.