Question

Which of the following would increase the mechanical advantage of a steering wheel?

A. Increasing the diameter of the steering wheel
B. Decreasing the diameter of the steering wheel
C. Decreasing the length of the shaft
D. Increasing the length of the shaft

Answer 1

A. Increasing the diameter of the steering wheel

Step-by-step explanation:

The steering wheel is an example of wheel-and-axle machine, where:

- the wheel is the sterring wheel

- the axle is the shaft

The mechanical advantage of a wheel and axle system is given by

`MA = (r_w)/(r_a)`

where
`r_w` is the radius of the wheel and
`r_a` is the radius of the axle.

Let's now analyze each option:

A. Increasing the diameter of the steering wheel --> this will increase
`r_w`, so this will increase the mechanical advantage --> correct

B. Decreasing the diameter of the steering wheel --> this will decrease
`r_w`, so this will decrease the mechanical advantage --> wrong

C. Decreasing the length of the shaft --> this will not affect
`r_a`, so this won't affect the mechanical advantage --> wrong

D. Increasing the length of the shaft --> this will not affect
`r_a`, so this won't affect the mechanical advantage --> wrong

So, correct choice is A.