Elevator K’Nex

Parts Needed

Questions A real elevator has a cab full of people at one end of a set of cables and a counter- weight at the other end. The counterweight is a heavy block that weighs about as much as the cab. It balances the weight of the cab, so the motor doesn’t have to pull as hard to raise the cab. Make a counterweight for your Elevator that uses a single fixed pulley. Test it to see if it balances the cab’s weight.

Questions Raise the Elevator cab with the movable pulley. How does the movable pulley change the way the Elevator works? Which Elevator is easer to lift? Why? Pull the cord to lift the fixed pulley Elevator to the top of the shaft. Measure the length of the cord from your fingertips to the fixed pulley. Record this measurement. Now, pull the cord to lift the movable pulley Elevator to the top of the shaft. Again, measure the distance you pulled the cord. Record your measurement. Compare your measurements. What do you find? For which Elevator did you have to use more cord? Cite which simple machines are included in this project.