Inclined plane

An inclined plane is a flat surface set at an angle to the horizontal. It lets a load move between heights with less force applied over a longer distance.

Mechanical advantage: The ratio of a machine’s output force to its input force. An ideal ramp’s mechanical advantage increases with its length relative to its height.
Simple machine: A basic mechanical device that changes the magnitude or direction of a force. The inclined plane is one of the classical simple machines.
Ramp: A sloping surface that provides a route between different elevations. A ramp is the everyday form of an inclined plane used for people, vehicles, and cargo.
Ancient Egyptian architecture: The architectural traditions and building practices of ancient Egypt. Inclined surfaces are among the proposed means of moving stone during pyramid construction.
Lever: A rigid bar that pivots around a fulcrum to transmit or multiply force. A lever trades movement at its ends rather than moving a load along a slope.
Work (physics): Energy transferred when a force moves an object through a distance. A ramp reduces required force but increases travel distance, preserving ideal work.
Force: An interaction that can change an object's motion or shape. The ramp’s benefit is measured by how it changes the force required to move a load.
Staircase: A structure of steps that provides access between different elevations. Stairs approximate a steep inclined route through a sequence of level treads and risers.
Pyramid of Djoser: A step pyramid built for the Third Dynasty pharaoh Djoser at Saqqara. Its construction belongs to early monumental building where ramps may have aided stone transport.
Pulley: A grooved wheel carrying a rope or cable to change force direction or magnitude. A pulley system can raise loads without requiring a sloping travel path.

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