For a 4:1 mechanical advantage system loaded with 200 pounds, what is the load on the rope?

• A. 50 pounds
• B. 200 pounds
• C. 800 pounds
• D. 100 pounds

Answer: (C)

In a 4:1 mechanical advantage system, the load is shared across four rope segments that support it. Under ideal conditions, the tension in each segment equals the total load divided by the number of supporting segments. So with a 200-pound load, each strand carries 200 ÷ 4 = 50 pounds of tension. The rope as a whole must handle the combined effect of those four strands, which sums to 200 pounds of load supported by the system.

Understanding this clarifies why the per-segment tension is 50 pounds, and the total load the rope system carries is 200 pounds. The idea that the rope would experience 800 pounds would not align with how mechanical advantage distributes the load.