Question

State the usefulness of such a machine whose mechanical advantage is less than $1$.

Answer 1

Load ($L$): It is the resistive or opposing force against which the machine works.

Effort ($E$): It is the force applied to the machine to overcome the load.

Mechanical Advantage$\left(MA\right)$: It is the ratio of the effort arm $E$ to the load arm $L$.

$MA=\frac{Effortarm}{Loadarm}$

From the formula, if the mechanical advantage is less than 1 then the effort arm is smaller than the load arm such that some efforts are used in changing the direction of the force.

Thus, the use of a machine whose $\left(MA\right)$ is less than $1$ is to change the direction of effort applied.