Final answer:
The mechanical advantage of a wheel with an 11-inch radius and an attached axle with a 2.75-inch diameter is 8, offering an 8-fold increase in the force applied to the wheel over the force exerted on the axle.
Step-by-step explanation:
The mechanical advantage (MA) of a wheel and axle system can be calculated by dividing the radius of the wheel by the radius of the axle. In the given scenario, the radius of the wheel is 11 inches and the radius of the axle, given its diameter is 2.75 inches, would be half of that, which is 1.375 inches. Therefore, the mechanical advantage of this wheel and axle is calculated as follows:
MA = radius of wheel / radius of axle
= 11 inches / 1.375 inches
= 8
The mechanical advantage of this particular wheel and axle is 8, meaning that the effort force applied to the wheel will be magnified 8 times at the axle, which is beneficial when one needs to lift or move a heavy load with less effort.