What is the ideal effort required to lift a 720 N load with a block-and-tackle system consisting of 6 strands?

To determine the ideal effort required to lift a specified load with a block-and-tackle system, you can use the mechanical advantage provided by the system. The mechanical advantage (MA) is equal to the number of strands supporting the load in a block-and-tackle arrangement. In this case, the system has 6 strands.

Mechanical advantage is calculated using the formula:

[

MA = \frac{\text{Load}}{\text{Effort}}

]

Given that the load is 720 N and the mechanical advantage is 6, we can rearrange the formula to find the effort:

[

\text{Effort} = \frac{\text{Load}}{MA} = \frac{720 , \text{N}}{6} = 120 , \text{N}

]

Therefore, the ideal effort required to lift the 720 N load with this block-and-tackle system, which is designed to reduce the amount of input force needed, is indeed 120 N. This illustrates how block-and-tackle systems can multiply force, making lifting heavy objects easier.