Question

Suppose you need to remove a nail from a board by using a claw hammer. What is the input distance for a claw hammer if the output distance is 2.0 cm and the mechanical advantage is 5.5?

Answer 1

The system in the problem can be assimilated to a simple lever. The mechanical advantage (MA) of a lever is
$MA= \frac{d_i}{d_o}$
where $d_i$ is the distance of application of the input force with respect to the fulcrum, and $d_o$ the distance of the output force from the fulcrum.
In our problem, MA=5.5 and $d_o = 2.0 cm$. So we can find the input distance:
$d_i = MA \cdot d_o = 5.5 \cdot 2.0 cm =11.0 cm$

Answer 2

Answer:

$d_i = 11.0\ cm$

Explanation:

It is given that,  

Output distance of claw hammer is $d_o=2.0 \ cm$

And mechanical advantage of claw hammer, m = 5.5

We need to find the input distance for a claw hammer.

The mechanical advantage of claw hammer is given by the ratio of input distance for a claw hammer to its output distance:

                             $m=\dfrac{d_i}{d_o}$           ....equation 1.

Now, putting values of $d_o$ and m in equation 1.

                             $5.5=\dfrac{d_i}{2.0}$

$d_i = 5.5\times 2.0 = 11.0\ cm$

Therefore value of input distance is 11.0 cm.Hence this is the required solution.