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• Engineering: Simple Machines

Lesson Engineering: Simple Machines

Grade Level: 4 (3-5)

Time Required: 30 minutes

Lesson Dependency: None

Subject Areas: Geometry, Physical Science, Problem Solving, Reasoning and Proof, Science and Technology

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• Stack It Up!
• Choosing a Pyramid Site
• Solid Rock to Building Block
• Wheeling It In!
• Watch It Slide!
• Pulley'ing Your Own Weight
• Modern Day Pyramids

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Why do engineers care about simple machines? How do such devices help engineers improve society? Simple machines are important and common in our world today in the form of everyday devices (crowbars, wheelbarrows, highway ramps, etc.) that individuals, and especially engineers, use on a daily basis. The same physical principles and mechanical advantages of simple machines used by ancient engineers to build pyramids are employed by today's engineers to construct modern structures such as houses, bridges and skyscrapers. Simple machines give engineers added tools for solving everyday challenges.

After this lesson, students should be able to:

• Understand what a simple machine is and how it would help an engineer to build something.
• Identify six types of simple machines.
• Understand how the same physical principles used by engineers today to build skyscrapers were employed in ancient times by engineers to build pyramids.
• Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to creating a simple lever machine based on how well each met the constraints of the challenge.

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How did the Egyptians build the Great Pyramids thousands of years ago (~2,500 BCE)? Could you build a pyramid using 9,000-kilogram (~10-ton or 20,000-lb) blocks of stone with your bare hands? That's like trying to move a large elephant with your bare hands! How many people might it take to move a block that big? It would still be a challenge to build a pyramid today even with modern tools, such as jackhammers, cranes, trucks and bulldozers. But without these modern tools, how did Egyptian workers cut, shape, transport and place enormous stones? Well, one key to accomplishing this amazing and difficult task was the use of simple machines.

Simple machines are devices with no, or very few, moving parts that make work easier. Many of today's complex tools are really just more complicated forms of the six simple machines. By using simple machines, ordinary people can split huge rocks, hoist large stones, and move blocks over great distances.

However, it took more than just simple machines to build the pyramids. It also took tremendous planning and a great design . Planning, designing, working as a team and using tools to create something, or to get a job done, is what engineering is all about. Engineers use their knowledge, creativity and problem-solving skills to accomplish some amazing feats to solve real-world challenges. People call on engineers to use their understanding of how things work to do seemingly impossible jobs and make everyday activities easier. It is surprising how many times engineers turn to simple machines to solve these problems.

Once we understand simple machines, you will recognize them in many common activities and everyday items. (Hand out Simple Machines Reference Sheet .) These are the six simple machines: wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, screw , and pulley . Now that you see the pictures, do you recognize some of these simple machines? Can you see any of these simple machines around the classroom? How do they work? Well, an important vocabulary term when learning about simple machines is the phenomenon of  mechanical advantage . Mechanical advantage of simple machines means we can use less force to move an object, but we have to move it a longer distance. A good example is pushing a heavy object up a ramp. It may be easier to push the object up a ramp instead of just lifting it up to the right height, but it takes a longer distance. A ramp is an example of the simple machine called an inclined plane . We are going to learn a lot more about each of these six simple machines that are a simple solution to helping engineers, and all humans, do hard work.

Sometimes it is difficult to recognize simple machines in our lives because they look different than the examples we see at school. To make our study of simple machines easier, let's imagine that we are living in ancient Egypt and that the leader of the country has hired us as engineers to build a pyramid. Students can act as engineers with the fun and hands-on activities: Stack It Up! and Choosing a Pyramid Site to design and plan the construction of a new pyramid. Today's availability of electricity and technologically-advanced machines make it difficult for us to see what the simple machine is accomplishing. But in the context of ancient Egypt, the simple machines that we will study are the much more basic tools of the time. After we develop an understanding of simple machines, we will shift our context to building a skyscraper in the present day, so we can compare and contrast how simple machines were used across the centuries and are still used today.

Lesson Background and Concepts for Teachers

Use the attached Introduction to Simple Machines PowerPoint presentation and Simple Machines Reference Sheet as helpful classroom tools. (Show the PowerPoint presentation, or print out the slides to use with an overhead projector. The presentation is animated to promote an inquiry-based style; each click reveals a new point about each machine; have students suggest characteristics and examples before you reveal them.)

Simple machines are everywhere; we use them everyday to perform simple tasks. Simple machines have also been in use since the early days of human existence. While simple machines take many shapes, they come in six basic types:

• Wedge : A device that forces things apart.
• Wheel and axle : Used to reduce friction.
• Lever : Moves around a pivot point to increase or decrease mechanical advantage.
• Inclined plane : Raises objects by moving up a slope.
• Screw : A device that can lift or hold things together.
• Pulley : Changes the direction of a force.

Simple Machines

We use simple machines because they make work easier. The scientific definition of work is the amount of force that is applied to an object multiplied by the distance the object is moved. Thus, work consists of force and distance. Each job takes a specific amount of work to finish it, and this number does not change. Thus, the force times the distance always equals the same amount of work. This means that if you move something a smaller distance you need to exert a greater force. On the other hand, if you want to exert less force, you need to move it over a greater distance. This is the force and distance trade off, or mechanical advantage , which is common to all simple machines. With mechanical advantage, the longer a job takes, the less force you need to use throughout the job. Most of the time, we feel that a task is hard because it requires us to use a lot of force. Therefore, using the trade off between distance and force can make our task much easier to complete.

The wedge is a simple machine that forces objects or substances apart by applying force to a large surface area on the wedge, with that force magnified to a smaller area on the wedge to do the actual work. A nail is a common wedge with a wide nail head area where the force is applied, and a small point area where the concentrated force is exerted. The force is magnified at the point, enabling the nail to pierce wood. As the nail sinks into the wood, the wedge shape at the point of the nail moves forward, and forces the wood apart.

Everyday examples of wedges include an axe (see Figure 1), nail, doorstop, chisel, saw, jackhammer, zipper, bulldozer, snow plow, horse plow, zipper, airplane wing, knife, fork and bow of a boat or ship.

Wheel and Axle

The wheel and axle is a simple machine that reduces the friction involved in moving an object, making the object easier to transport. When an object is pushed, the force of friction must be overcome to start it moving. Once the object is moving, the force of friction opposes the force exerted on the object. The wheel and axle makes this easier by reducing the friction involved in moving an object. The wheel rotates around an axle (essentially a rod that goes through the wheel, letting the wheel turn), rolling over the surface and minimizing friction. Imagine trying to push a 9,000-kilogram (~10-ton) block of stone. Wouldn't it be easier to roll it along using logs placed underneath the stone?

Everyday examples of the wheel and axle include a car, bicycle, office chair, wheel barrow, shopping cart, hand truck and roller skates.

A lever simple machine consists of a load, a fulcrum and effort (or force). The load is the object that is moved or lifted. The fulcrum is the pivot point, and the effort is the force required to lift or move the load. By exerting a force on one end of the lever (the applied force), a force at the other end of the lever is created. The applied force is either increased or decreased, depending on the distance from the fulcrum (the point or support on which a lever pivots) to the load, and from the fulcrum to the effort.

Everyday examples of levers include a teeter-totter or see-saw, crane arm, crow bar, hammer (using the claw end), fishing pole and bottle opener. Think of a how you use a crowbar (see Figure 2). By pushing down on the long end of the crowbar, a force is created at the load end over a smaller distance, once again, demonstrating the tradeoff between force and distance.

Inclined Plane

Inclined planes make it easier to lift something. Think of a ramp. Engineers use ramps to easily move objects to a greater height. There are two ways to raise an object: by lifting it straight up, or by pushing it diagonally up. Lifting an object straight up moves it over the shortest distance, but you must exert a greater force. On the other hand, using an inclined plane requires a smaller force, but you must exert it over a longer distance.

Everyday examples of inclined planes include highway access ramps, sidewalk ramps, stairs, inclined conveyor belts, and switchback roads or trails.

A screw is essentially an inclined plane wrapped around a shaft. Screws have two primary functions: they hold things together, or they lift objects. A screw is good for holding things together because of the threading around the shaft. The threads grip the surrounding material like teeth, resulting in a secure hold; the only way to remove a screw is to unwind it. A car jack is an example of a screw being used to lift something (see Figure 3).

Everyday examples of screws include a screw, bolt, clamp, jar lid, car jack, spinning stool and spiral staircase.

A pulley is a simple machine used to change the direction of a force. Think of raising a flag or lifting a heavy stone. To lift a stone up into its place on a pyramid, one would have to exert a force that pulls it up. By using a pulley made from a grooved wheel and rope, one can pull down on the rope, capitalizing on the force of gravity, to lift the stone up . Even more valuable, a system of several pulleys can be used together to reduce the force needed to lift an object.

Everyday examples of pulleys in use include flag poles, elevators, sails, fishing nets (see Figure 4), clothes lines, cranes, window shades and blinds, and rock climbing gear.

Compound Machines

A compound machine is a device that combines two or more simple machines. For example, a wheelbarrow combines the use of a wheel and axle with a lever. Using the six basic simple machines, all sorts of compound machines can be made. There are many simple and compound machines in your home and classroom. Some examples of the compound machines you may find are a can opener (wedge and lever), exercise machines/cranes/tow trucks (levers and pulleys), shovel (lever and wedge), car jack (lever and screw), wheel barrow (wheel and axle and lever) and bicycle (wheel and axle and pulley).

Watch this activity on YouTube

• Choosing a Pyramid Site - Working in engineering project teams, students choose a site for the construction of a pyramid. They base their decision on site features as provided by a surveyor's report; distance from the quarry, river and palace; and other factors they deem important to the project.

Today, we have discussed six simple machines. Who can name them for me? (Answer: Wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, screw, and pulley.) How do simple machines make work easier? (Answer: Mechanical advantage enables us to use less force to move an object, but we have to move it a longer distance.) Why do engineers use simple machines? (Possible answers: Engineers creatively use their knowledge of science and math to make our lives better, often using simple machines. They invent tools that make work easier. They accomplish huge tasks that could not be done without the mechanical advantage of simple machines. They design structures and tools to use our environmental resources better and more efficiently.) Tonight, at home, think about everyday examples of the six simple machines. See how many you can find around your house!

Complete the KWL Assessment Chart (see the Assessment section). Gauge students' understanding of the lesson by assigning the Simple Machines Worksheet as a take-home quiz. As an extension, use the attached Simple Machines Scavenger Hunt! Worksheet to conduct a simple machines scavenger hunt in which students find examples of simple machines used in the classroom and at home.

In other lessons of this unit, students study each simple machine in more detail and see how each could be used as a tool to build a pyramid or a modern building.

design: (verb) To plan out in systematic, often graphic form. To create for a particular purpose or effect. Design a building. (noun) A well thought-out plan.

Engineering: Applying scientific and mathematical principles to practical ends such as the design, manufacture and operation of efficient and economical structures, machines, processes and systems.

force: A push or pull on an object.

inclined plane: A simple machine that raises an object to greater height. Usually a straight slanted surface and no moving parts, such as a ramp, sloping road or stairs.

lever: A simple machine that increases or decreases the force to lift something. Usually a bar pivoted on a fixed point (fulcrum) to which force is applied to do work.

mechanical advantage : An advantage gained by using simple machines to accomplish work with less effort. Making the task easier (which means it requires less force), but may require more time or room to work (more distance, rope, etc.). For example, applying a smaller force over a longer distance to achieve the same effect as applying a large force over a small distance. The ratio of the output force exerted by a machine to the input force applied to it.

pulley: A simple machine that changes the direction of a force, often to lift a load. Usually consists of a grooved wheel in which a pulled rope or chain runs.

pyramid: A massive structure of ancient Egypt and Mesoamerica used for a crypt or tomb. The typical shape is a square or rectangular base at the ground with sides (faces) in the form of four triangles that meet in a point at the top. Mesoamerican temples have stepped sides and a flat top surmounted by chambers.

screw: A simple machine that lifts or holds materials together. Often a cylindrical rod incised with a spiral thread.

simple machine: A machine with few or no moving parts that is used to make work easier (provides a mechanical advantage). For example, a wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, screw, or pulley.

spiral: A curve that winds around a fixed center point (or axis) at a continuously increasing or decreasing distance from that point.

tool: A device used to do work.

wedge: A simple machine that forces materials apart. Used for splitting, tightening, securing or levering. It is thick at one end and tapered to a thin edge at the other.

wheel and axle: A simple machine that reduces the friction of moving by rolling. A wheel is a disk designed to turn around an axle passed through the center of the wheel. An axle is a supporting cylinder on which a wheel or a set of wheels revolves.

work: Force on an object multiplied by the distance it moves. W = F x d (force multiplied by distance).

Pre-Lesson Assessment

Know / Want to Know / Learn (KWL) Chart: Create a classroom KWL chart to help organize learning about a new topic. On a large sheet of paper or on the classroom board, draw a chart with the title "Building with Simple Machines." Draw three columns titled, K, W and L, representing what students know about simple machines, what they want to know about simple machines and what they learned about simple machines. Fill out the K and W sections during the lesson introduction as facts and questions emerge. Fill out the L section at the end of the lesson.

Post-Introduction Assessment

Reference Sheet: Hand out the attached Simple Machines Reference Sheet . Review the information and answer any questions. Suggest the students keep the sheet handy in their desks, folders or journals.

Observations: Show students an example of each simple machine and have them make observations and discuss any patterns that can be used to predict future motion. 

Lesson Summary Assessment

Closing Discussion: Conduct an informal class discussion, asking the students what they learned from the activities. Ask the students:

• Who can name the different types of simple machines? (Answer: Wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, screw, and pulley.)
• How do simple machines make work easier? (Answer: Mechanical advantage enables us to use less force to move an object, but we have to move it a longer distance.)
• Why do engineers use simple machines? (Possible answers: Engineers creatively use their knowledge of science and math to make our lives better, often using simple machines. They invent tools that make work easier. They accomplish huge tasks that could not be done without the mechanical advantage of simple machines. They design structures and tools to use our environmental resources better and more efficiently.)

Remind students that engineers consider many factors when they plan, design and create something. Ask the students:

• What are the considerations an engineer must keep in mind when designing a new structure? (Possible answers: Size and shape (design) of the structure, available construction materials, calculation of materials needed, comparing materials and costs, making drawings, etc.)
• What are the considerations an engineer must keep in mind when choosing a site to build a new structure? (Possible answers: Site physical characteristics [topography, soil foundation], distance to construction resources [wood, stone, water, concrete], suitability for the structure's purpose [locate a school or grocery store near where people live].)

KWL Chart (Conclusion): As a class, finish column L of the KWL Chart as described in the Pre-Lesson Assessment section. List all of the things they learned about simple machines. Were all of the W questions answered? What new things did they learn?

Take-Home Quiz: Gauge students' understanding of the lesson by assigning the Simple Machines Worksheet as a take-home quiz.

Lesson Extension Activities

Use the attached Simple Machines Scavenger Hunt! Worksheet to conduct a fun scavenger hunt. Have the students find examples of all the simple machines used in the classroom and their homes.

Bring in everyday examples of simple machines and demonstrate how they work.

Illustrate the power of simple machines by asking students to do a task without using a simple machine, and then with one. For example, create a lever demonstration by hammering a nail into a piece of wood. Have students try to pull the nail out, first using only their hands

Bring in a variety of everyday examples of simple machines. Hand out one out to each student and have them think about what type of simple machine it is. Next, have students place the items into categories by simple machines and explain why they chose to place their item there. Ask students what life would be like without this item. Emphasize that simple machines make our life easier.

See the Edheads website for an interactive game on simple machines: http://edheads.org.

Engineering Design Fun with Levers: Give each pair of students a paint stirrer, 3 small plastic cups, a piece of duct tape and a wooden block or spool (or anything similar). Challenge the students to design a simple machine lever that will throw a ping pong ball (or any other type of small ball) as high as possible. In the re-design phase, allow the students to request materials to add on to their design. Have a small competition to see which group was able to send the ping pong ball flying high. Discuss with the class why that particular design was successful versus other variations seen during the competition.

See http://edheads.org for a good simple machines website with curricular materials including educational games and activities.

Students are introduced to three of the six simple machines used by many engineers: lever, pulley, and wheel-and-axle. In general, engineers use the lever to magnify the force applied to an object, the pulley to lift heavy loads over a vertical path, and the wheel-and-axle to magnify the torque appl...

Students explore building a pyramid, learning about the simple machine called an inclined plane. They also learn about another simple machine, the screw, and how it is used as a lifting or fastening device.

Students learn how simple machines, including wedges, were used in building both ancient pyramids and present-day skyscrapers. In a hands-on activity, students test a variety of wedges on different materials (wax, soap, clay, foam).

Refreshed with an understanding of the six simple machines; screw, wedge, pully, incline plane, wheel and axle, and lever, student groups receive materials and an allotted amount of time to act as mechanical engineers to design and create machines that can complete specified tasks.

Dictionary.com. Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. Accessed January 11, 2006. (Source of some vocabulary definitions, with some adaptation) http://www.dictionary.com

Simple Machines. inQuiry Almanack, The Franklin Institute Online, Unisys and Drexel eLearning. Accessed January 11, 2006. http://sln.fi.edu/qa97/spotlight3/spotlight3.html

Contributors

Supporting program, acknowledgements.

The contents of these digital library curricula were developed by the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program under National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. 0338326. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government. 

Last modified: October 2, 2022

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Simple Machines

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6 Types of Simple Machines

Early Examples of Machines

Simple Machines and Work

Simple Machines and Force

Simple Machines – Tools to Help Us Work

What Is a Machine Anyway?

Simple Machines: Why Do We Use Them, and How Do They Work?

Simple Machines – Let’s Take a Look at Them

Levers Throughout History

Levers and Pulleys

What Are Simple Machines?

See Also: Flight , Force & Motion

Simple Machines GAMES & Activities for Kids

Flash Presentations Simple Machines

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Lots of Lessons – Simple Machines

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9.3 Simple Machines

Section learning objectives.

By the end of this section, you will be able to do the following:

• Describe simple and complex machines
• Calculate mechanical advantage and efficiency of simple and complex machines

Teacher Support

The learning objectives in this section will help your students master the following standards:

• (C) describe simple and complex machines and solve problems involving simple machines;
• (D) define input work, output work, mechanical advantage, and efficiency of machines.

In addition, the High School Physics Laboratory Manual addresses content in this section in the lab titled: Work and Energy, as well as the following standards:

• (D) demonstrate and apply the laws of conservation of energy and conservation of momentum in one dimension.

Section Key Terms

In this section you will apply what you have learned about work to find the mechanical advantage and efficiency of simple machines.

[BL] [OL] Ask the students what they know about machines and work. Dispel any misconceptions that machines reduce the amount of work. Be sure students do not equate machines and motors by asking for (and, if necessary, providing) examples of machines that are not motorized. Explain that simple machines are often hand-held, and that they reduce force, not work.

[AL] Ask for recall of the formula W = f d . Explain that the product of force and distance is critical to understanding simple machines. Because the amount of work is not changed, the term f d does not change, but force can decrease if distance increases. This is the underlying principle of all simple machines.

Simple Machines

Simple machines make work easier, but they do not decrease the amount of work you have to do. Why can’t simple machines change the amount of work that you do? Recall that in closed systems the total amount of energy is conserved. A machine cannot increase the amount of energy you put into it. So, why is a simple machine useful? Although it cannot change the amount of work you do, a simple machine can change the amount of force you must apply to an object, and the distance over which you apply the force. In most cases, a simple machine is used to reduce the amount of force you must exert to do work. The down side is that you must exert the force over a greater distance, because the product of force and distance, f d , (which equals work) does not change.

Let’s examine how this works in practice. In Figure 9.7 (a), the worker uses a type of lever to exert a small force over a large distance, while the pry bar pulls up on the nail with a large force over a small distance. Figure 9.7 (b) shows the how a lever works mathematically. The effort force, applied at F e , lifts the load (the resistance force) which is pushing down at F r . The triangular pivot is called the fulcrum ; the part of the lever between the fulcrum and F e is the effort arm, L e ; and the part to the left is the resistance arm, L r . The mechanical advantage is a number that tells us how many times a simple machine multiplies the effort force. The ideal mechanical advantage , IMA , is the mechanical advantage of a perfect machine with no loss of useful work caused by friction between moving parts. The equation for IMA is shown in Figure 9.7 (b).

In general, the IMA = the resistance force, F r , divided by the effort force, F e . IMA also equals the distance over which the effort is applied, d e , divided by the distance the load travels, d r .

Getting back to conservation of energy, for any simple machine, the work put into the machine, W i , equals the work the machine puts out, W o . Combining this with the information in the paragraphs above, we can write

The equations show how a simple machine can output the same amount of work while reducing the amount of effort force by increasing the distance over which the effort force is applied.

Watch Physics

Introduction to mechanical advantage.

This video shows how to calculate the IMA of a lever by three different methods: (1) from effort force and resistance force; (2) from the lengths of the lever arms, and; (3) from the distance over which the force is applied and the distance the load moves.

The beginning of this video may cause more confusion than illumination. It shows a derivation using trig functions that is beyond the scope of this chapter. Interested students may want to work their way through it. Most students should skip to the final two or three minutes which explain the basics of calculating IMA of a lever from different ratios. Review W = f d .

• The heavier child sits closer to the fulcrum.
• The heavier child sits farther from the fulcrum.
• Both children sit at equal distance from the fulcrum.
• Since both have different weights, they will never be in balance.

Some levers exert a large force to a short effort arm. This results in a smaller force acting over a greater distance at the end of the resistance arm. Examples of this type of lever are baseball bats, hammers, and golf clubs. In another type of lever, the fulcrum is at the end of the lever and the load is in the middle, as in the design of a wheelbarrow.

[AL] Tell students there are two other classes of levers with different arrangements of load, fulcrum, and effort. Ask them first to try to sketch these. After they have discovered the three kinds, with or without your help, ask if they can think of examples of the types not shown in Figure 9.7 .

The simple machine shown in Figure 9.8 is called a wheel and axle . It is actually a form of lever. The difference is that the effort arm can rotate in a complete circle around the fulcrum, which is the center of the axle. Force applied to the outside of the wheel causes a greater force to be applied to the rope that is wrapped around the axle. As shown in the figure, the ideal mechanical advantage is calculated by dividing the radius of the wheel by the radius of the axle. Any crank-operated device is an example of a wheel and axle.

[BL] [OL] See if the students grasp the idea that a wheel and axle is really a type of lever. Show them that it looks more like a lever if the wheel is replaced by a crank. Give some examples: hand-powered windlass, steering wheel, door knob, and so on. Ask them why steering wheels had a greater diameter before power steering was invented.

[AL] Explain that wheels on vehicles are not really simple machines in the same sense as the one in Figure 9.8 . The axle on a vehicle does not do work on a load. Energy loss to friction is reduced, but nothing is lifted.

An inclined plane and a wedge are two forms of the same simple machine. A wedge is simply two inclined planes back to back. Figure 9.9 shows the simple formulas for calculating the IMA s of these machines. All sloping, paved surfaces for walking or driving are inclined planes. Knives and axe heads are examples of wedges.

[BL] [OL] Talk about how inclined planes and wedges are similar and different. Note that, when using an inclined plane the load moves, but when using a wedge the load is stationary and the machine moves. Explain why more energy is usually lost to friction with these machines than with other simple machines.

The screw shown in Figure 9.10 is actually a lever attached to a circular inclined plane. Wood screws (of course) are also examples of screws. The lever part of these screws is a screw driver. In the formula for IMA , the distance between screw threads is called pitch and has the symbol P .

[BL] [OL] Suggest that a screw is classified as a separate type of simple machine perhaps because it looks so different from what it really is—an inclined plane which sometimes is turned by a lever. Explain that the combined mechanical advantage can be great. Devices like the one shown in Figure 9.9 are used to lift cars and even houses. Have the students compare this screw to a wood screw and a circular stairway.

[AL] Ask students how the forces exerted by a wood screw are different from those exerted by the screw in Figure 9.9 . Ask for an explanation of the 2 π π in the equation for IMA .

Figure 9.11 shows three different pulley systems. Of all simple machines, mechanical advantage is easiest to calculate for pulleys. Simply count the number of ropes supporting the load. That is the IMA . Once again we have to exert force over a longer distance to multiply force. To raise a load 1 meter with a pulley system you have to pull N meters of rope. Pulley systems are often used to raise flags and window blinds and are part of the mechanism of construction cranes.

[BL] [OL] The calculation for IMA of a pulley seems too easy to be true, but it is. Ask students to try to understand why IMA is simply N . Tell them that watching the video should make this point clear. Pulleys were once seen on sailing ships and farms, where they were used lift heavy loads. The overhang you may have seen on the end of old barn roofs is where a pulley was once attached. This way bales of hay could be lifted into the hay loft without getting wet. Pulleys can still be seen in use, most commonly on large building cranes.

Mechanical Advantage of Inclined Planes and Pulleys

The first part of this video shows how to calculate the IMA of pulley systems. The last part shows how to calculate the IMA of an inclined plane.

Review what was learned about the IMA of inclined planes and pulley systems before watching the video. Remind the students that, for an ideal machine, work in = work out and that W = f d . The video shows how to find the f s and the d s.

Grasp Check

How could you use a pulley system to lift a light load to great height?

• Reduce the radius of the pulley.
• Increase the number of pulleys.
• Decrease the number of ropes supporting the load.
• Increase the number of ropes supporting the load.

A complex machine is a combination of two or more simple machines. The wire cutters in Figure 9.12 combine two levers and two wedges. Bicycles include wheel and axles, levers, screws, and pulleys. Cars and other vehicles are combinations of many machines.

[BL] [OL] Be sure students understand that a complex machine is just a combination of simple machines and is still fairly simple . Don’t let them confuse the term with complicated machines such as computers. Note that the IMAs of the individual simple machines in a complex machine usually multiply because the output force of one machine becomes the input force of the other machine. For an additional fun activity, have the students search the Internet for Rube Goldberg machine .

Calculating Mechanical Advantage and Efficiency of Simple Machines

Refer back to the discussions of each simple machine for the specific equations for the IMA for each type of machine.

No simple or complex machines have the actual mechanical advantages calculated by the IMA equations. In real life, some of the applied work always ends up as wasted heat due to friction between moving parts. Both the input work ( W i ) and output work ( W o ) are the result of a force, F , acting over a distance, d .

The efficiency output of a machine is simply the output work divided by the input work, and is usually multiplied by 100 so that it is expressed as a percent.

Look back at the pictures of the simple machines and think about which would have the highest efficiency. Efficiency is related to friction, and friction depends on the smoothness of surfaces and on the area of the surfaces in contact. How would lubrication affect the efficiency of a simple machine?

[BL] [OL] Review the material on loss of mechanical energy to heat and the law of conservation of energy. Explain how heat lost because of friction assures that W o will always be less than W i preventing efficiency from ever reaching 100%.

Worked Example

Efficiency of a lever.

The input force of 11 N acting on the effort arm of a lever moves 0.4 m, which lifts a 40 N weight resting on the resistance arm a distance of 0.1 m. What is the efficiency of the machine?

State the equation for efficiency of a simple machine, %  efficiency = W o W i × 100 , %  efficiency = W o W i × 100 , and calculate W o and W i . Both work values are the product Fd .

W i = F i d i W i = F i d i = (11)(0.4) = 4.4 J and W o = F o d o W o = F o d o = (40)(0.1) = 4.0 J, then %  efficiency = W o W i × 100 = 4.0 4.4 × 100 = 91 %   %  efficiency = W o W i × 100 = 4.0 4.4 × 100 = 91 %  

Efficiency in real machines will always be less than 100 percent because of work that is converted to unavailable heat by friction and air resistance. W o and W i can always be calculated as a force multiplied by a distance, although these quantities are not always as obvious as they are in the case of a lever.

Teaching tip—When calculating efficiency, it is easy enough to understand what force in and force out are: the force you apply is force in and the weight of the object that is being lifted is force out. The input and output distances are easier to see for the lever, inclined plane and wedge. The other three are not as obvious. For a pulley system, the input distance is how far you pull the rope, and the output distance is the distance the load rises. For a wheel and axle, the input distance is the circumference of the wheel, and the output distance is the circumference of the axle. For a screw, the input distance is the circumference of the circle over which the force is applied, and the output distance is the distance between the screw threads.

Practice Problems

If a pulley system can lift a 200N load with an effort force of 52 N and has an efficiency of almost 100 percent, how many ropes are supporting the load?

• 1 rope is required because the actual mechanical advantage is 0.26.
• 1 rope is required because the actual mechanical advantage is 3.80.
• 4 ropes are required because the actual mechanical advantage is 0.26.
• 4 ropes are required because the actual mechanical advantage is 3.80.

Check Your Understanding

True or false—The efficiency of a simple machine is always less than 100 percent because some small fraction of the input work is always converted to heat energy due to friction.

The circular handle of a faucet is attached to a rod that opens and closes a valve when the handle is turned. If the rod has a diameter of 1 cm and the IMA of the machine is 6, what is the radius of the handle?

Use the Check Your Understanding questions to assess students’ achievement of the section’s learning objectives. If students are struggling with a specific objective, the Check Your Understanding will help identify which one and direct students to the relevant content.

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Simple MACHINES – Lesson Presentation (PPT)

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• A machine is a device that makes work easier by changing the size or direction of a force.
• Machines apply force over bigger distances, meaning less force will be needed (than doing it the hard way).

Simple Machines

• A machine that does work with one movement is a simple machine.
• decreasing the amount of force required (and therefore increasing the distance)
• changing the direction of the force to make it easier to apply .
• All other machines are a combination of the 6 simple machines.
• A pulley consists of a rope that fits into a groove in a wheel
• Produce an output force different in size/direction of input force
• Lever is a rigid bar that is free to move around a fulcrum.  
• Fulcrum is a stationary or fixed point.
• Objects use it for balance or as a point to move around.
• Fulcrums are used with levers and with wheels.

Inclined Plane

• Inclined Plane is a slanted surface along which a force moves an object to a different elevation

The Inclined Plane

• A screw is an inclined plane wrapped around a cylinder.
• Nuts and Bolts are other examples of screws which have them on the inside
• A wedge is a V-shaped object whose sides are two inclined planes sloped toward each other
• knife, axe, needles, nails, bullets

Wheel & Axle

• Consists of two disks/cylinders, each one with a different radius.
• Steering wheel, screwdriver, doorknob are all examples

The Screw and Wheel

Compound Machines

• Combination of two or more simple machines that operate together
• Watch- complex series of gears, so that one gear drives the next

Mechanical Advantage

• The work/energy you do on a machine is called work inpu t or effort force.
• The work being done by the machine on the object is called work output or resistance force.

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1. Effort force = 200 N

Resistance force = 500 N

resistance force

MA = ------------------------------

effort force

MA = ----------------- = 2.5

• Length of effort arm = 1.5 m = 150 cm

Length of resistance arm = 50 cm

length of effort arm

MA =-------------------------------

length of resistance arm

MA = ------------------- = 3

• Kyle exerts a force of 50 N over a distance of

100 m using a pulley system. He lifts a 100 N

box to a height of 5 meters. What is the efficiency of the pulley system?

F = 100 N d = 5 m

W o = F x d = (100 N) (5 m) = 500 J

F = 50 N d = 100 m

W i = F x d = (50 N) (100 m) = 5000 J

Efficiency = ------------ x 100%

Eff. = 500 J/5000 J x 100%

Eff. = 0.1 x 100% = 10%

You can never get more work OUT than you put IN.

In fact, you will always put IN more than you get OUT.

SIMPLE MACHINES

Jul 18, 2014

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SIMPLE MACHINES. 8 th Grade Engineering. Machines. Machines are artifacts that transmit or change the application of power, force, or motion. In other words: Machines change the amount of force needed to do work. “Wouldn’t life be easier if I had a machine?”. Simple Machines.

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Presentation Transcript

SIMPLE MACHINES 8th Grade Engineering

Machines • Machines are artifacts that transmit or change the application of power, force, or motion. In other words: Machines change the amount of force needed to do work. “Wouldn’t life be easier if I had a machine?”

Simple Machines • How many kinds of simple machines are there? • There are 6 types of simple machines. • What are the 6 types of simple machines?

Levers • Have you used a…. Then you have used a lever!

Levers • A lever has a rod, or bar, (the lever arm) that rests and turns on a support (fulcrum).

Levers • You apply a force to one end of the lever arm to left a load at the other end, allowing you to lift weight more easily.

Levers – Force Multiplier • The closer the fulcrum is to the load, the more ____________ it is to lift.

Levers – Distance Multiplier • The farther the fulcrum is to the load, the _____________ the load can go.

Wheel and Axle • What are some examples of where we use a wheel and axle? • Cars (steering wheels and vehicle wheels) • Bicycles • Ferris Wheels • Wagons • Door knobs

Wheel and Axle • A wheel and axleis a shaft attached to a disk.

Pulleys • Can you make a pulley with the parts of a wheel and axle? • Pulleysare grooved wheels attached to an axle.

Inclined Planes • What is an example of an inclined plane seen in nature?

Inclined Planes • Inclined planes are sloped surfaces used to make a job easier to do. • In what situation is an inclined plane helpful?

Wedges • What are two functions for a wedge? • A wedge is used to split and separate materials and to grip parts.

Screws • Does a screw use an inclined plane? • The screw is an inclined plane wrapped around a shaft. It is used to hold things together.

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