在力学里，典型的斜面（inclined plane）是一种倾斜的平板，能够将物体比较不费力地从低处提升至高处，但提升这物体的路径长度也会增加。斜面是古代希腊人提出的六种简单机械之中的一种。假若斜面的斜度越小，则斜面与水平面之间的夹角越小，需施加于物体的作用力会越小，但移动距离也越长；反之亦然。假设移动负载不会造成能量的保存或耗散，则斜面的机械利益是其长度与提升高度的比率。

在日常生活中，时常会使用到斜面。行驶车辆的坡道应该是很常见的斜面；卡车装载大型货物时，常会在车尾斜搭一块木板，将货物从木板上往上推，所应用的也是斜面的理论。

An inclined plane, also known as a ramp, is a flat supporting surface tilted at an angle, with one end higher than the other, used as an aid for raising or lowering a load. The inclined plane is one of the six classical simple machines defined by Renaissance scientists. Inclined planes are widely used to move heavy loads over vertical obstacles; examples vary from a ramp used to load goods into a truck, to a person walking up a pedestrian ramp, to an automobile or railroad train climbing a grade.