Machines are devices that make work easier by magnifying the effort force, or by changing the distance or direction of the effort force. An inclined plane is one of the most common of the six simple machines.
In this experiment students pulled a car of a known weight up an inclined plane. They used a spring scale to pull the car and to
measure the force (E) required to move the car the length of the inclined plane and compared that to the force need to lift the
car to the same end height.
The students used a block of wood to raise the end of a board to a height of 25 cm above the lab bench With a meter stick, they
measured the length of the board. Measurements were recorded in a data table. A 5-N weight was placed in the car, and the total
weight of the system (car + weight = 8N) was recorded. A spring scale was attached to one end of the car using string,
Holding the spring scale parallel to the inclined plane, a student pulled the car and weight up the board. The force required was
read on the spring scale and recorded in the data table as the effort force (E). Students used less effort force to pull the car (3N)
rather than lift the car (8N) to the specified height.
Describe a second experiment students might conduct in order to verify their results,