what is the mechanical advantage of an inclined plane
The mechanical advantage of an inclined plane , the factor by which the force is reduced , is equal to the ratio of the length of the sloped surface to the height it spans . Due to conservation of energy , the same amount of mechanical energy ( work ) is required to lift a given object by a given vertical distance , disregarding losses from friction , but the inclined plane allows the same work to be done with a smaller force exerted over a greater distance .