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Table of Contents
A simple machine is a mechanical device that functions by changing the direction or intensity of a force. These machines are defined as simple mechanisms that have the ability to multiply force through leverage or mechanical advantage.
See the fact file below for more information on Simple Machines, or you can download our 25-page Simple Machines worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
DEFINITION
- The term “machine” is thought to have originated with the Greek screenwriter Aeschylus in reference to theatrical machines such as the “deus ex machina” or “god from a machine.” Work is performed by applying a force over a long distance. In contrast, machines produce more output force than input force.
- Simple machines that are commonly used around the world include the wheel and axle, pulley, inclined plane, screw, wedge, and lever.
WHEEL AND AXLE
- The wheel and axle combination is one of the most important inventions in human history. With this invention, all tasks have been made much easier for the past centuries up to this date.
- The wheel and axle are made up of a round disc known as the wheel and a rod running through the center of it, known as the axle.
- This system applies angular momentum and engine power to objects to perform work, commonly against the force of gravity. Gears are closely related to the wheel and axle of a simple machine.
- Prior to the invention of wheels, the amount of weight we could carry over land was limited. It is easier to roll a 2000-kilogram stone block with logs underneath it than to push it.
- The first documented artifacts showing humanity using the wheel date back to around 4000 BC, when the Sumerians began to live in cities.
- Over time, wheel and axle machines have been used for a variety of purposes. There are many appliances made of wheels and axles in the area, such as a pizza cutter, a door knob, or even for automotive purposes, such as a car engine and a bicycle.
PULLEY
- A pulley is a type of simple machine that consists of a grooved wheel and a rope or cable. This simple machine allows its users to effectively lift heavy loads and suspend various objects in the air.
- A pulley’s function is to lift heavy objects by changing the direction of force on a flexible cable. It also has a wheel with a groove on the outside edge and an axle. A pulley facilitates the movement of objects upward by using ropes, chains, or cords. Pulleys also reduce the amount of force required to complete the task.
- Pulleys are widely used in shipping and marine applications, as well as in industrial and heavy machinery. Multiple pulleys are commonly used in systems to increase mechanical advantage by lowering the force required to lift or pull the weight. However, the increasing amount of pulleys used reduces the system’s efficiency due to friction.
LEVER
- A lever is a simple machine made up of a beam or rigid rod that pivots at a fixed hinge or fulcrum. A lever is a rigid body that can rotate on a single point. Levers can be utilized to move a much larger force with a small force.
- This simple machine can also be used to move a much larger force with a small force.
- Some examples of the levers we encounter in our households, workplaces, yards, or even in school include shovels, brooms, baseball bats, hockey sticks, and so on. In addition, human arms can also serve as examples of levers.
INCLINED PLANE
- An inclined plane simply has a sloping surface with an even slope and no moving parts. It allows us to move objects to higher or lower surfaces more easily than if we lifted the objects directly upwards.
- The inclined plane functions by reducing the force required to overcome gravity when elevating or lowering a heavy object. The ramp facilitates vertical movement by extending the distance traveled horizontally to attain the desired change in elevation.
- In addition, an inclined plane is a plane with a downward slope. This plane transports both people and cargo. Planes with an inclined plane are typically smaller and faster than planes without an inclined plane.
- Stairs, ramps, slides, funnels, and the roofs of houses are all examples of inclined planes that we see in our daily lives.
WEDGE
- A simple machine known as the wedge was invented around 2.6 million years ago. A wedge is a simple machine with two inclined planes that give it a thin and thick end.
- In mechanics, a wedge is a device that tapers to a thin edge and is usually made of metal or wood.
- It is used for splitting, lifting, or tightening, such as to secure a hammerhead to its handle.
- Wedges were used for a variety of purposes back then, one of which included it being used to cut or split objects apart. The thick end of the wedge is applied with force, and the wedge appears to apply force to the object along both of its sloping sides. The object splits apart as a result of this force.
- Wedges are classified into two types: single and double. Single wedges include a doorstop and a chisel.
- A knife is an example of a double wedge that is much thinner than an axe. Because of its ability to cut or split, and in the case of the nail, to hold something together, all knives and nails are wedges.
SCREW
- It is recorded in history that screws were used as early as ancient Greek and Egyptian times. On the other hand, the Greeks attribute the invention of the screw to Archytas of Tarentum.
- However, the screw was invented around 234 BCE by Archimedes, a Greek philosopher.
- The Archimedes screw was used in a water pump, which uses a rotating helical chamber to propel water uphill.
- The screw is said to be made up of a series of ridges or spiral-like structures that wrap around the cylindrical part that extends from the screw’s head.
- These are known as threads, which are basically the screw’s inclined planes, which is why it is called an inclined plane.
- A screw’s main purpose is to convert rotational motion produced by torque into an up-and-down motion.
- This type of simple machine does this by acting as a force multiplier, which means that a larger amount of force is applied with less effort and thus is useful.
Kinds of Screws
- A bolt is similar to a screw but lacks a pointed tip. A bolt is not drilled into place; instead, a hole is created for the bolt to pass through. The bolt is then screwed through with a nut at the end. Bolts are extremely effective at holding things together.
- A drill bit is a type of screw that functions to remove material in order to create holes, which are almost always circular in cross-section.
- This type of screw comes in a variety of sizes and shapes, and they can drill a variety of holes in a variety of materials.
- When connected to an electric drill, it is a kind of screw that can make holes in wood, plastic, metal, and stones.
Simple Machines Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Simple Machines across 25 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about Simple Machines, which are mechanisms that have the ability to multiply force through leverage or mechanical advantage.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Simple Machines Facts
- Simple Machines
- I Need a Machine
- Understanding the Lever
- Wheel and Axle
- Using a Wedge
- Using a Pulley
- Where’s the Screw?
- Inclined to be Smart!
- I’m an Inventor!
- I’m an Observant
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Link will appear as Simple Machines Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, November 3, 2022
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.