A carpenter uses a wooden wedge as a doorstop to hold a heavy door open. The wedge has a l… — Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)

A carpenter uses a wooden wedge as a doorstop to hold a heavy door open. The wedge has a length of $15\text{ cm}$ and a maximum thickness of $3\text{ cm}$ . What is the ideal mechanical advantage (IMA) of this wedge?

Answer: 5

Answer

The ideal mechanical advantage is 5.

The ideal mechanical advantage of a wedge is found by dividing its length (the distance the wedge penetrates) by its maximum thickness (the distance the object is separated). For a wedge with a length of

15\text{ cm}

and a thickness of

3\text{ cm}

, the mechanical advantage is calculated as

15 / 3 = 5

Step-by-Step Solution

Identify the given dimensions of the wedge.

Length (

L

) =

15\text{ cm}

, Thickness (

t

) =

3\text{ cm}

These values are required to calculate the mechanical advantage.

Apply the formula for the ideal mechanical advantage of a wedge.

IMA = \frac{L}{t} = \frac{15}{3} = 5

The IMA is the ratio of the effort distance (length) to the resistance distance (thickness).

Key Concept

Ideal Mechanical Advantage of a Wedge

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