inclined plane, simple machine consisting of a sloping surface, used for raising heavy bodies. The force required to move an object up the incline is less than the weight being raised, discounting friction. The steeper the slope, or incline, the more nearly the required force approaches the actual weight. Expressed mathematically, the force F required to move a block D up an inclined plane without friction is equal to its weight W times the sine of the angle the inclined plane makes with the horizontal. Referring to the , F = W sin θ.
The principle of the inclined plane is used widely—for example, in screws and bolts, where a small force acting along a slope can produce a much larger force.