The ideal mechanical advantage (IMA) can be determined by the following equation:
IMA= Input distance/Output distance
The Input distance and Output distance are:
Input distance=220 meters
Output distance=110 meters
When you substitute in the equation of the ideal mechanical advantage (IMA), you obtain:
IMA= Input distance/Output distance
IMA= 220 meters/110 meters
IMA=2
Here is the rule for see-saws here on Earth, and there is no reason
to expect that it doesn't work exactly the same anywhere else:
(weight) x (distance from the pivot) <u>on one side</u>
is equal to
(weight) x (distance from the pivot) <u>on the other side</u>.
That's why, when Dad and Tiny Tommy get on the see-saw, Dad sits
closer to the pivot and Tiny Tommy sits farther away from it.
(Dad's weight) x (short length) = (Tiny Tommy's weight) x (longer length).
So now we come to the strange beings on the alien planet.
There are three choices right away that both work:
<u>#1).</u>
(400 N) in the middle-seat, facing (200 N) in the end-seat.
(400) x (1) = (200) x (2)
<u>#2).</u>
(200 N) in the middle-seat, facing (100 N) in the end-seat.
(200) x (1) = (100) x (2)
<u>#3).</u>
On one side: (300 N) in the end-seat (300) x (2) = <u>600</u>
On the other side:
(400 N) in the middle-seat (400) x (1) = 400
and (100 N) in the end-seat (100) x (2) = 200
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . <u>600</u>
These are the only ones to be identified at Harvard . . . . . . .
There may be many others but they haven't been discarvard.
