How Do You Calculate Mechanical Advantage in a Nail Puller?

[Armando Valle]

What is the mechanical advantage of a nail puller where you exert a force 45 cm from the pivot and the nail is 1.8 cm on the other side? What minimum force must you exert to apply a force of 1250 N to the nail?

Homework Equations

2. Homework Equations
MA= FO/FI * LI/LO

The Attempt at a Solution

Ive tried to make the problem but i don't understand it, can someone help me? thanks!

 

[gneill]

What is the mechanical advantage of a nail puller where you exert a force 45 cm from the pivot and the nail is 1.8 cm on the other side? What minimum force must you exert to apply a force of 1250 N to the nail?

Homework Equations

2. Homework Equations
MA= FO/FI * LI/LO

The Attempt at a Solution

Ive tried to make the problem but i don't understand it, can someone help me? thanks!

What have you tried? What's the geometry of a nail puller? Have you drawn a diagram and labelled the forces? A "pivot" implies that torques may be involved. What have you done to investigate this?

 

[Armando Valle]

Ive tried to use the MA equation but i don´t find a relationship with the forces included on the problem. this are the images of the problems, thanks!

 

[gneill]

I don't understand your relevant equation ("MA equation") as presented. Can you define the variables?

 

[Armando Valle]

this are the equations

 

[gneill]

Your Relevant equation:

2. Homework Equations
MA= FO/FI * LI/LO

does not reflect what is in your latest image. It should be:

MA= FO/FI = LI/LO

Note the "=" between the terms. So you're dealing with ratios.

Can you pair up the given values in your problem with the variables in your equation?

 

[SammyS]

this are the equations

The figure for OP's problem together with said equations.