Have you ever been hiking and followed a trail that went back and forth?

Or traveled up a mountain along winding roads called switchbacks?

Have you seen people move heavy objects up a ramp instead of lifting them directly upward?

These are all examples of an inclined plane.

With your lab partner, generate a list of inclined planes which you have seen or used. Record this in your lab packet.

An inclined plane is a simple machine which allows us to raise an object with less effort than if we lifted it directly upward.