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When does a machine act as

(a) a force multiplier and

(b) a speed multiplier?

Can a machine act as a force multiplier and speed multiplier simultaneously?

Solutions:

(a) The machine operates as a force multiplier when the effort arm is longer than the load arm. Such machines have a mechanical advantage of more than one.

(b) The machine operates as a speed multiplier when the effort arm is shorter than the load arm. Such devices have a mechanical advantage of less than one.

Machines that multiply forces cannot increase their speed, and vice versa. As a result, a machine cannot operate as both a force multiplier and a speed multiplier at the same time.