This document appears to be a student worksheet for a science lab experiment investigating how the angle of inclination of a ramp affects the force required to move an object up the ramp. The student is provided with materials needed, procedures to collect data, and questions to analyze the results. The experiment involves measuring the force needed to pull a roller up ramps at various angles and calculating actual and ideal mechanical advantage. The student is asked to recommend the best angle for a wheelchair ramp based on the results.

1. Name: ____________
Date: _________________
Teacher: ________________
______Period
Angling for Access
Problem: How does the incline (angle) of a a ramp affect the force it takes to
move an object up a ramp?
Independent Variable: the incline (angle) of a a ramp
Dependent Variable: the force it takes to move an object up a ramp
Choose one!
Hypothesis: If the incline (angle) of a a ramp is (steep or less steep)
,
then it will take (more force or less force) to move an object up a ramp.
Choose one!
Materials:
• roller
Length of Incline
• ramp
• spring scale
• meter stick and ruler
Angle of
Incline
Height of
Incline
Procedure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Find the output force (weight of the roller). Use Newtons.
Set the ramp to the correct angle of inclination.
Measure the height of the incline and the length of the incline.
Attach the roller to the spring scale. Pull the roller up the inclined plane using the
spring scale. The spring scale must be parallel to the inclined plane.
Measure the force it takes for the roller to be pulled up to the point the inclined
plane crosses the protractor.
Data Table:
Angle of
Inclination
Length of
Incline
(cm)
Height of
Incline
(cm)
Input Force
(N)
(needed to
pull the roller
up ramp)
Output
Force
(N)
(weight of
roller)
Ideal
Mechanical
Advantage
Length of Incline
Height of Incline
Actual
Mechanical Advantage
Output force
Input force
15°
42 cm
10.5
cm
.5 N
2.1 N
Ex.
42 ÷ 10.5 =
Ex.
2.1 ÷ .5 =
25°
38 cm
16
cm
.9 N
2.1 N
40°
41 cm
26
cm
1.4 N
2.1 N

2. Analyze and Conclude:
1.
What is the difference between ideal mechanical advantage and actual
mechanical advantage? Should have been completed in class!
2.
What happens to the ideal mechanical advantage as the incline becomes
steeper?
3.
How did the ideal mechanical advantage and actual mechanical
advantage compare each time you repeated the experiment?
4.
If Work = Force x Distance and the height of the incline is 10 cm, does
the angle of incline of the ramp affect the amount of work needed to move
the roller up the ramp?
Distance
Angle of
Inclination
Height of
Incline
(cm)
15°
10 cm
39 cm .5 N
25°
10 cm
10 cm
The unit for WORK is JOULES (J).
24 cm .9 N
40°
5.
Length of
Incline
(cm)
Input Force
(N)
(needed to pull the
roller up ramp)
16 cm 1.4 N
W=FxD
Ex.
Work = .5N × 39 cm
Explain your answer in complete sentences. _______________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__
6.
Think about a wheelchair ramp. If we were building a wheelchair ramp at
our school, which of these three ramps would you recommend building
and why?
__________________________________________________________

3. Name: ____________
Date: _________________
Teacher: ________________
Using the results of the lab, Angling for Access, apply what you
have learned to the following question.
Why are wheelchair ramps a longer distance than the stairs?
Are architects just being thoughtless when they design long,
winding wheelchair ramps? Explain your answer in a paragraph
using complete thoughts and sentences.
______Period