Question

What is the velocity ratio of a single movable pulley?

• A. $1$
• B. $0.5$
• C. $2$
• D. $1.5$

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

$2$

Load $L$ is attached to the movable pulley. A rope is fixed at a point in ceiling that passes through the movable pulley.
In order to lift the load $L$ by $X$ meters, the effort $E$ needs to travel the distance of 2X meters. (The entire rope needs to be pulled by $E$ for a distance of 2X.)
Now, Velocity Ratio equals (Distance traveled by $E$) divided by (Distance traveled by $L$)
So it becomes : $2X/X$. This equals to 2
Since it is a ratio. it has no units of measurement.