Mechanical Advantage Formula

A mechanical advantage is a form of calculation that measures the amplified force taken by the mechanical system. It gives the ratio between the force applied to the load and the force needed to overcome the given force. It is a unitless expression since the two ratio quantities are the force. Mechanical advantage is also defined as the force created by the machine to the for applied on it. The formula of mechanical advantage is given as:

Wherein,

MA is the mechanical advantage,

F_B = force of the object and

F_A = effort to overcome the force of the object.

Example 1

Estimate the mechanical advantage if 400 N force is needed to overcome the load of 900 N.

Solution:

F_A = 400 N

F_B = 900 N

The formula of mechanical advantage is

MA = F_B / F_A

MA  = 900 / 400

MA  = 2.25