Page 144 - Big Ideas Year 10 sciPAD 2025

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144 SCIPAD - BIG IDEAS - BOOK 2
FORCES AND MOTION
The Inclined Plane
Inclined planes are ramps, and like levers they reduce the amount of effort needed to lift a load.
The steeper the incline, the more effort is needed to move the load upwards. Just like levers, if you
use a longer, less steep incline to reduce the effort needed, you will need to apply the effort over
a longer distance.
In the example below, a large effort would be required to lift the car vertically onto the truck. By
using a ramp (an inclined plane) the car can be ‘lifted’ onto the back of the truck with less effort.
Investigating Inclined Planes
Aim: To investigate the advantage of using a ramp to lift a load.
Equipment: Ramp, three blocks (to vary ramp height), a mass, force meter.
Method: 1. Make a low ramp using one block and attach the force meter to the mass.
2. Place the mass and force meter at the base of the ramp.
Pull the force meter up the ramp and measure the amount of force require to move
the mass.
3. Repeat step 2 three times.
4. Make the ramp steeper by adding another block. Repeat steps 2 and 3.
5. Make the ramp steeper by adding another block. Repeat steps 2 and 3.
6. Use the force meter to measure the force needed to lift the block vertically from
your work surface to the height of the three blocks.
Results:
Ramp Height Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average
(N)
1 block
2 blocks
3 blocks
Vertical
Conclusion: Write a conclusion for your investigation. Include the words ‘lower’, ‘steeper’,
‘effort’ and ‘maximum’.





1. Outline another situation where an inclined plane is used to reduce the effort needed to
raise an object or person. 


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