PHS104A Exam: Exploring Pulleys and Mechanical Advantage | Questions and Answers | A+ Guide | Update - National University.

PHS104A Final Report: Exploring Pulleys
and Mechanical Advantage | Questions and
Answers | 100% Correct | 2026 Update -
National University.
Practice Question Bank & Answer Rationale




THIS PACK CONTAINS
98 exam-style multiple-choice questions. Each question includes the correct answer and a complete rationale
for focused revision.




COVERAGE
This final report exam assesses understanding of pulley systems, mechanical advantage, efficiency, and their
application in clinical and rehabilitation contexts. It covers fixed and movable pulleys, compound systems,
force-distance trade-offs, and practical measurement of efficiency. Questions require application of physics
principles to real-world scenarios and data interpretation.




STUDY GUIDE
Recommended duration: 2 hours. Passing target: 70%.




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,1. In an ideal single fixed pulley system used to lift a 50 kg load, what is the mechanical
advantage (MA)?

[ ] A. 0.5
[ ] B. 1
[ ] C. 2
[ ] D. 50


CORRECT: B. 1
A single fixed pulley changes the direction of force but does not multiply force, so MA = 1. Options A and C
incorrectly suggest force multiplication or reduction, and D confuses MA with the load mass.



2. A movable pulley is used to lift a 200 N load. Ignoring friction and the weight of the
pulley, what input force is required to maintain the load in equilibrium?

[ ] A. 50 N
[ ] B. 100 N
[ ] C. 200 N
[ ] D. 400 N


CORRECT: B. 100 N
A single movable pulley has an ideal mechanical advantage of 2, so the required input force is 200 N / 2 =
100 N. Options A, C, and D misapply the MA or assume no advantage.



3. A compound pulley system has 4 supporting rope segments. If the system is ideal, what
is the mechanical advantage?

[ ] A. 2
[ ] B. 4
[ ] C. 8
[ ] D. 1


CORRECT: B. 4
In an ideal compound pulley, the mechanical advantage equals the number of rope segments supporting the
load. Here, 4 segments give MA = 4. Options A, C, and D are incorrect multiples or ignore the segment
count.



4. A student measures the input force to lift a 300 N load with a pulley system as 100 N.
What is the actual mechanical advantage (AMA)?

[ ] A. 0.33
[ ] B. 3
[ ] C. 300




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, [ ] D. 100


CORRECT: B. 3
AMA = load / input force = 300 N / 100 N = 3. Option A is the reciprocal, C confuses with load, and D is the
input force value.



5. In an ideal pulley system with a mechanical advantage of 5, if the load is lifted 0.5 m,
how much rope must be pulled?

[ ] A. 0.1 m
[ ] B. 0.5 m
[ ] C. 2.5 m
[ ] D. 5 m


CORRECT: C. 2.5 m
In an ideal system, work input equals work output, so force × distance is conserved. With MA = 5, the rope
must be pulled 5 times the load distance: 5 × 0.5 m = 2.5 m. Options A and B underestimate the distance,
and D overestimates.



6. A pulley system has an ideal mechanical advantage of 6. Due to friction, the actual
mechanical advantage is 4.5. What is the efficiency of the system?

[ ] A. 75%
[ ] B. 133%
[ ] C. 45%
[ ] D. 60%


CORRECT: A. 75%
Efficiency = (AMA / IMA) × 100% = (4.) × 100% = 75%. Option B is the inverse, C misinterprets the
numbers, and D is a common miscalculation.



7. Which factor does NOT affect the efficiency of a pulley system?

[ ] A. Friction in the pulley bearings
[ ] B. Mass of the pulley
[ ] C. Color of the rope
[ ] D. Stiffness of the rope


CORRECT: C. Color of the rope
Efficiency is influenced by energy losses such as friction, pulley mass, and rope stiffness. The color of the
rope has no mechanical effect, making C the correct answer.




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