The inclined plane: the long way up is easier
A ramp is the simplest machine of all. It has no moving parts.
How this site works. Every fact is in our own words and linked to its source, beside it. Where good sources disagree, we show each version in a “Sources differ” box.
An inclined plane is a sloping surface used to raise heavy things. A ramp is the classic example. Britannica
Pushing something up a slope takes less force than lifting it straight up, if you ignore friction. Britannica
It takes the same amount of work, but less force, to move an object up a ramp than to lift it straight up. Science Trek
Steep or gentle?
The steeper the slope, the closer the force gets to the full weight. Britannica
Without friction, the push needed is the weight times the sine of the slope’s angle: F = W sin θ. Britannica
The Navy manual’s example: rolling a 300-pound barrel up a 9-foot plank onto a 3-foot platform takes about 100 pounds of push, a mechanical advantage of 3. US Navy
Ramps everywhere
Ramps and switchback roads use the inclined plane: a small force acting over a long distance does a large amount of work. Britannica
Cattle ramps, mountain roads and gangplanks are all inclined planes. US Navy
Stairs, escalators, ladders, wheelchair ramps and even mail chutes are versions of the ramp. Science Trek
History
Ramps were probably used during the construction of the Egyptian pyramids. OpenStax
The same history calls the wedge ancient (think stone hand axes) and the ramp prehistoric, used to move heavy masses. Ohio Univ.
In 1586 the Flemish mathematician Simon Stevin worked out the mechanical advantage of the inclined plane. Ohio Univ.
Next: the wedge →