The Inclined Plane

Objective:  The student will investigate how an inclined plane redirects and reduces the force pulling a brick downward, with or without friction. A toy car can apply a variable upward force on the brick, and the mechanical advantage and efficiency of the plane can be determined. A graph of force versus distance illustrates the concept of work.

Procedure:  Students will follow the instructions to complete the Inclined Plane Gizmo.  Ask students to open the Inclined Plane site and click on Launch Gizmo. Students will complete the worksheet as they do the Gizmo.

Resources:
Website:  Inclined Plane
Inclined Plane Worksheet (Word) (PDF)