By Zencalcy Editorial TeamLast reviewed About us
Mechanical advantage tells you how many times a machine multiplies your effort. An ideal machine with MA 5 lets 100 N of effort lift a 500 N load, at the cost of moving the effort through five times the distance.
Force multiplication from load and effort.
MA = F_load / F_effort
MA is dimensionless. The ideal mechanical advantage ignores friction; the actual advantage is the ideal value multiplied by the machine's efficiency.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| MA | Mechanical advantage, dimensionless. |
| F_load | Load force the machine moves, in newtons. |
| F_effort | Effort force applied, in newtons. |
MA = 500 / 100 = 5. The machine multiplies force fivefold, so the effort must move five times farther than the load to conserve energy.
Continue with the Pulley System Calculator, Screw Mechanical Advantage Calculator, or the Wedge Mechanical Advantage Calculator — or browse more simple machines tools and all physics calculators.
Yes. Some machines trade force for speed or distance, such as a bicycle in a high gear or a pair of tweezers.
Results are computed from the standard equations of classical mechanics. Unit conversions use the SI definitions published by NIST. Air resistance is ignored unless the calculator names a drag model.
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Content updated: September 2026