What happens when you pull on one end of a rope attached to a pulley?

When you pull on one end of a rope attached to a pulley, the wheel of the pulley turns, which, in turn, moves the object that is attached to the other end of the rope. This is due to the basic mechanical advantage provided by the pulley system; it allows for easier lifting of objects by distributing the weight and changing the direction of the force applied. The action of pulling the rope creates tension, which makes the pulley rotate, allowing the load to be lifted smoothly.

In a well-functioning pulley system, any force you apply to the rope transfers to the load, enabling efficient movement without causing the pulley to become stationary or overwhelming friction to hinder operation. Thus, the movement produced by pulling on the rope directly leads to the manipulation of the object being lifted or moved.