1. Simple Machines

2. What is a Simple Machine?  A simple machine has few or no moving parts.  Simple machines make work easier

3. Wheels and Axles  The wheel and axle are a simple machine  The axle is a rod that goes through the wheel which allows the wheel to turn  Gears are a form of wheels and axles

4. Axle Wheel Click on the windmill to learn more.

5. Pulleys  Pulley are wheels and axles with a groove around the outside  A pulley needs a rope, chain or belt around the groove to make it do work

6. Wheel Rope This box is easier to lift because of the pulley. Click on it to learn more.

7. Inclined Planes  An inclined plane is a flat surface that is higher on one end  Inclined planes make the work of moving things easier

8. Click on the dude to learn more.

9. Screws  A screw is an inclined plane wrapped around a shaft or cylinder.  The inclined plane allows the screw to move itself when rotated.

10. A screw is an inclined plane wrapped around a post. Click on the light bulb to learn more.

11. Wedges  Two inclined planes joined back to back.  Wedges are used to split things.

12. Two inclined planes make a wedge. Try to catch the saw to learn more.

13. Levers-First Class  In a first class lever the fulcrum is in the middle and the load and effort is on either side  Think of a see-saw

14. Levers-Second Class  In a second class lever the fulcrum is at the end, with the load in the middle  Think of a wheelbarrow

15. Levers-Third Class  In a third class lever the fulcrum is again at the end, but the effort is in the middle  Think of a pair of tweezers

16. Fulcrum Lever Load Click Here to Learn More

17. Simple Machines  Simple Machines can be put together in different ways to make complex machinery

18. Simple machines are useful because they can make a physical job easier by changing the magnitude or the direction of the force exerted to do work.

19. Have you ever tried to unscrew a nut, bolt, or screw from something with your bare hands and discovered that it was just too tight to loosen even if you had a good grip?

21. You got the proper tool, such as a screw driver or wrench, and unscrewed it!

22. You got the proper tool, such as a screw driver or wrench, and unscrewed it!

23. Why is it that it's so easy to unscrew with a tool when you can't with your bare hands?

24. The wrench and screw driver are examples of a wheel and axle, where the screw or bolt is the axle and the handle is the wheel. The tool makes the job easier by changing the amount of the force you exert. Axle Wheel

25. All of the simple machines can be used for thousands of jobs from lifting a 500-pound weight to making a boat go. The reason why these machines are so special is because they make difficult tasks much easier.

27. Have you learned it all yet? Let’s look at a worksheet to see. Click Here

28. Click above