A simple machine is a mechanical device that changes the direction or magnitude of a force. In general, they can be defined as the simplest mechanisms that use mechanical advantage (also called ...

When you push or pull with a simple machine, you are applying a force and doing work. And, if you get more force out of a machine than you put into it, then that machine has a mechanical advantage.

Introduction Before the industrial age people largely had to rely on muscle power to move and lift heavy objects. Simple machines such as pulleys, levers and ramps made it easier for humans to lift ...