What does the mechanical advantage of a lever measure?

The mechanical advantage of a lever is defined as the ratio of the load being lifted to the effort applied to lift that load. This concept is crucial in understanding how levers function and how they can make work easier. By increasing the mechanical advantage, a lever allows a smaller force to lift a heavier load, essentially amplifying the input force.

When you consider a lever, it operates on the principle of balancing torques. The mechanical advantage directly reflects how effectively the lever transforms the input effort into a greater output load. If the ratio is greater than one, it means that the lever can lift more weight than the force applied, which is why levers are such powerful tools in mechanical systems.

The other options reference concepts that are related but do not specifically capture the essence of mechanical advantage as a measure of efficiency in force application. The weight of the load or the distance moved are important factors in understanding levers, but they do not directly represent the mechanical advantage itself. The angle of the lever affects how it operates but does not define the mechanical advantage.