In a fixed pulley system, the pulley is attached to a stationary object, such as a ceiling or a beam.
The primary purpose of a fixed pulley is to change the direction of the force applied. When you pull down on one end of the rope or cable attached to the fixed pulley, the load attached to the other end moves up.
Fixed pulley
Effects of fixed pulleys
While a fixed pulley doesn't provide any mechanical advantage in terms of reducing the amount of force required, it does make it easier to lift a load in certain situations by allowing you to change the direction of the force.
A fixed pulley changes the direction of the force needed to lift an object, but does not change the amount of needed.
Moveable Pulleys
In a movable pulley system, the pulley is attached to the object being moved. The rope or cable is threaded through the movable pulley, and one end is attached to a fixed point.
Which type of pulley has a moveable wheel?
Effects of Movable Pulleys
Unlike fixed pulleys, movable pulleys provide a mechanical advantage by reducing the amount of force required to lift a load.
When you pull down on one end of the rope or cable, the load attached to the movable pulley moves up, and the force required is only a fraction of the weight of the load
A movable pulley changes both the direction of the force and the amount of force needed to lift an object. This makes it an example of a .
