Now lets look at some variations of wheel & axle and inclined plane that create 4 other simple machines
Pulley – A wheel & axle with a groove around the rim, where a rope fits into the groove. A load is attached to one end of the rope, and the other end of the rope is pulled, moving the load with the help of the pulley.
Gear – A wheel & axle with teeth around the rim that interlocks with another gear, or a chain, or a belt used to move another wheel.
Wedge – Two inclined planes that come together, forming a sharp edge used to cut things.
Screw – An inclined plane wrapped around a rod. The inclined plane that wraps around the rod forms ridges that are called the thread.
WOW! Those simple machines are pretty cool. Can you think of any examples of simple machines in your life? Do you want to see a catchy song about simple machines? Click HERE. Then, check out some examples of simple machines in STEP 3.
