Statics › Section F · Equilibrium of structures › Topic F.7
Machines and mechanical advantage
Pliers, bolt cutters, toggle clamps and car jacks turn a modest push from your hand into a large force where it is needed. Statics tells you exactly how large, by treating the machine as a frame caught at an instant of equilibrium.
In this topic
- What a machine is
- Mechanical advantage
- Finding the output force
- Worked example: pliers in US customary units
- Force trades for distance
- Efficiency
- Compound machines and toggles
- Worked example: a toggle press
- Self-locking machines
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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