B3-12 PULLEY - MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE

ID Code: B3-12
Purpose: Illustrate pulley systems
Description: The system is initially balanced to account for the weight of the pulleys and rope by adding small weights on the free end of the rope, as seen in the photograph at the left. For every two kilograms hanging from the pulley, the system requires one kilogram hanging from the free end of the rope to obtain equilibrium. Show that deviation from the 2:1 ratio destroys the static equilibrium.
Availability: Available

See the Physics Question of the Week for 2/2/2015 for an example of how this demonstration can be used in class interaction and discussion: lecdem.physics.umd.edu/question-of-the-week-archive.html