General
Inclined Plane & Wedge
Screw & Lever
Wheel and Axle & Pulley
Drive Systems
100
What is a machine?
A machine is a device that does work and helps to make work easier.
100
What is an inclined plane?
An inclined plane is a slanted flat surface connecting a lower level to a higher level.
100
What is a screw?
A screw is an inclined plane that has been wrapped around a rod or cylinder.
100
What is a wheel and axle?
A wheel and axle consists of a wheel or wheels attached to a rod.
100
What is a drive system?
A drive system is when single wheels are used to transfer energy from one part of a device to another.
200
What are the six simple machines?
The six simple machines are inclined plane, wedge, screw, lever, wheel and axle and pulley.
200
What is a wedge?
A wedge is two inclined planes placed together so they form a point.
200
What is a lever?
A lever is a bar resting on a turning point. The turning point is called the "fulcrum".
200
What is a pulley?
A pulley is a rope on a grooved wheel.
200
What is a gear?
A gear is a wheel with teeth.
300
What is a force?
A force is a push or pull in a certain direction.
300
How does a wedge work?
Wedges work by focusing all of the force put in at the back of the wedge, onto the tiny sharp point at th front of the wedge.
300
How do screws make work easier?
Screws make work easier by spreading the work over a large distance.
300
Why are wheels useful?
Wheels are useful because rolling an object over a surface has less friction than sliding an object over the same surface.
300
What is a gear train? What are the names of gears in a gear train?
A gear train is the organisation of two or more gears. The names of gears in a gear train are:
- Driver gear: where the effort is first applied
- Driven gear: the final gear in a gear train (load)
- Idler gear: any gear in between the driver gear and the driven gear.
400
Name one simple machine you use in your day to day life.
Example: The building I live in has elevators, so a simple machine I use everyday is a pulley.
Answers will vary.
400
How do inclined planes help make lifting heavy objects easier?
Inclined planes make lifting heavy objects easier by spreading the work done or effort over a longer distance.
400
What are the three types of levers?
Class 1: Effort on one end, fulcrum in the middle, load on the other end.
Class 2: Effort on one end, load in the middle, fulcrum on the other end.
Class 3: Fulcrum on one end, effort in the middle and load on the other end.
400
How do pulleys make work easier?
Pulleys make work easier by changing the direction of a force. A person can pull downwards on one end of a rope and the other end of the rope will pull upwards on the load.
400
Name a type of gear and provide an example where we can see these gears.
- Spur gears can be found in washing machines and clothes dryers.
- Rack and pinions can be found in windshield wipers, trains, and the rear wheel of a bicycle. - Bevel gears can be found in hand drills and DVD players. - Worm gears can be found in elevators and escalators.
500
Machines help us do work in three main ways. What is one way machines help us do work?
1. Machines change energy from one form to another.
2. Some machines make work easier by changing the direction of a force.
3. Some machines make work easier by spreading the effort needed over a long distance.
500
Why are scissors a type of wedge?
Scissors are a type of wedge because they are used to split something (paper) apart.
500
Give an example of a screw and an example of a lever.
Screws: Wood and furniture screws, vice on a workbench, screw-type lifting jack, corkscrew etc.
Levers: Wheelbarrow, teeter totter, shovel, scissors, etc.
500
Give an example of a wheel and axle and a pulley.
Wheel and axle: Steering wheel in a car, pencil sharpener, arms on a clock, egg beaters, conveyor belts.
Pulley: flag poles, boat winches, elevators, cars, engine lifters, window washers.
500
What type of drive system is this? What does it do?
This is a belt drive system. Belt drive systems use a flexible strip (such as a rubber belt) to transfer power/energy from one pulley to another.