Explains how pulleys work to lift heavy weights more easily. A fixed pulley changes the direction of force, allowing for easier lifting, while a movable pulley reduces the amount of force needed to ...

A simple machine is a tool that helps us do work. They use clever shapes to help us move, lift, cut and other types of work. Learn more about the inclined plane, the pulley, the lever, the wheel and ...

Atwood's machine is the name of a device that looks like this: Also known as "two masses on a pulley". Surprisingly, this simple device comes up a lot in intro physics texts. It also brings up some ...

Have you ever seen a flag being raised, or wondered how a mechanical clock works? Let’s take a look at some of the simple mechanisms that they use. Pulleys and gears. When a flag is raised, it will ...

Introduction: This lesson provides students with a review of simple machines and their tasks. It works best in combination with your lesson on simple machines, or as a review/additional activity.

After learning about the lever, wheel and axle, pulley, inclined plane, wedge and screw, the students designed a future Hilltop playground, one that included examples of each simple machine studied.

One common misconception is that belts will slip more frequently on composite pulleys than on metal pulleys. Not so! The wedging action of V-belts is so efficient that slip should never be an issue; ...

When you push or pull with a simple machine, you are applying a force and doing work. And, if you get more force out of a machine than you put into it, then that machine has a mechanical advantage.