What Kind of Simple Machines Might You Find Inside of a Old Fashioned Clock

Summary

Simple machines are devices with few or no moving parts that brand work easier. Students are introduced to the 6 types of uncomplicated machines — the wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, screw, and pulley — in the context of the structure of a pyramid, gaining high-level insights into tools that accept been used since ancient times and are still in use today. In two hands-on activities, students begin their own pyramid design by performing materials calculations, and evaluating and selecting a structure site. The half-dozen simple machines are examined in more depth in subsequent lessons in this unit.

This engineering science curriculum aligns to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Engineering Connection

Why exercise engineers care about unproblematic machines? How do such devices assist engineers amend society? Simple machines are important and common in our world today in the class of everyday devices (crowbars, wheelbarrows, highway ramps, etc.) that individuals, and specially engineers, use on a daily basis. The same physical principles and mechanical advantages of simple machines used past aboriginal engineers to build pyramids are employed by today's engineers to construct modern structures such as houses, bridges and skyscrapers. Elementary machines requite engineers added tools for solving everyday challenges.

Learning Objectives

After this lesson, students should be able to:

• Sympathize what a simple machine is and how it would help an engineer to build something.
• Identify half-dozen types of simple machines.
• Empathise how the same physical principles used by engineers today to build skyscrapers were employed in ancient times past engineers to build pyramids.
• Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to creating a simple lever machine based on how well each met the constraints of the claiming.

Educational Standards

Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more Thou-12 science, technology, applied science or math (Stem) educational standards.

All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are nerveless, maintained and packaged by the Accomplishment Standards Network (ASN), a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org).

In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.thou., by state; within source by type; e.g., science or mathematics; within type by subtype, so by grade, etc.

NGSS: Next Generation Science Standards - Science

NGSS Operation Expectation
iii-PS2-ii. Make observations and/or measurements of an object's motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion. (Class 3) Do y'all agree with this alignment? Thanks for your feedback!
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This lesson focuses on the post-obit Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS:
Science & Engineering Practices	Disciplinary Core Ideas	Crosscutting Concepts
Make observations and/or measurements to produce information to serve as the basis for evidence for an caption of a phenomenon or exam a design solution. Alignment agreement: Thanks for your feedback! Science findings are based on recognizing patterns. Alignment agreement: Thanks for your feedback!	The patterns of an object's movement in diverse situations can be observed and measured; when that by move exhibits a regular pattern, hereafter motion tin be predicted from it. (Boundary: Technical terms, such as magnitude, velocity, momentum, and vector quantity, are non introduced at this level, but the concept that some quantities need both size and direction to be described is developed.) Alignment agreement: Thanks for your feedback!	Patterns of alter tin be used to make predictions. Alignment agreement: Cheers for your feedback!

International Engineering science and Engineering Educators Association - Technology

• Tools, materials, and skills are used to make things and behave out tasks. (Grades 3 - five) More Details

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Worksheets and Attachments

Visit [www.teachengineering.org/lessons/view/cub_simple_lesson01] to print or download.

More Curriculum Similar This

Center School Lesson

Levers That Lift

Students are introduced to three of the half dozen uncomplicated machines used by many engineers: lever, pulley, and wheel-and-axle. In full general, engineers use the lever to magnify the strength applied to an object, the pulley to lift heavy loads over a vertical path, and the wheel-and-axle to magnify the torque appl...

Upper Unproblematic Lesson

Slide Right on by Using an Inclined Aeroplane

Students explore building a pyramid, learning about the simple machine chosen an inclined plane. They also learn well-nigh another simple machine, the screw, and how information technology is used as a lifting or fastening device.

Upper Elementary Lesson

Pyramid Building: How to Use a Wedge

Students learn how simple machines, including wedges, were used in building both ancient pyramids and present-day skyscrapers. In a hands-on action, students test a variety of wedges on dissimilar materials (wax, soap, clay, foam).

High School Activity

Splash, Pop, Fizz: Rube Goldberg Machines

Refreshed with an understanding of the half-dozen elementary machines; screw, wedge, pully, incline plane, wheel and beam, and lever, pupil groups receive materials and an allotted amount of time to act equally mechanical engineers to design and create machines that can consummate specified tasks.

Introduction/Motivation

How did the Egyptians build the Great Pyramids thousands of years agone (~ii,500 BCE)? Could you build a pyramid using 9,000-kilogram (~10-ton or 20,000-lb) blocks of rock with your bare easily? That's like trying to move a large elephant with your bare hands! How many people might information technology take to move a block that big? It would even so be a challenge to build a pyramid today even with modern tools, such as jackhammers, cranes, trucks and bulldozers. Just without these modern tools, how did Egyptian workers cut, shape, transport and place enormous stones? Well, one key to accomplishing this amazing and difficult task was the use of simple machines.

Simple machines are devices with no, or very few, moving parts that make work easier. Many of today'southward complex tools are really just more complicated forms of the six simple machines. By using simple machines, ordinary people can split huge rocks, hoist large stones, and movement blocks over keen distances.

However, it took more than only simple machines to build the pyramids. It too took tremendous planning and a nifty design. Planning, designing, working as a team and using tools to create something, or to get a job washed, is what engineering is all virtually. Engineers use their noesis, creativity and problem-solving skills to achieve some amazing feats to solve existent-globe challenges. People call on engineers to use their understanding of how things work to do seemingly impossible jobs and brand everyday activities easier. Information technology is surprising how many times engineers turn to simple machines to solve these problems.

Once we understand simple machines, you lot will recognize them in many common activities and everyday items. (Manus out Simple Machines Reference Sheet.) These are the vi uncomplicated machines: wedge, bicycle and axle, lever, inclined aeroplane, screw, and pulley. Now that you see the pictures, do you recognize some of these simple machines? Can you run into whatever of these uncomplicated machines effectually the classroom? How do they work? Well, an important vocabulary term when learning almost unproblematic machines is the phenomenon of mechanical reward. Mechanical reward of elementary machines means we can utilize less force to move an object, simply nosotros have to motion it a longer distance. A good example is pushing a heavy object upward a ramp. It may exist easier to push the object up a ramp instead of merely lifting it up to the right height, simply it takes a longer distance. A ramp is an example of the uncomplicated automobile called an inclined airplane. We are going to larn a lot more nearly each of these six simple machines that are a simple solution to helping engineers, and all humans, do hard work.

Sometimes it is difficult to recognize elementary machines in our lives because they look different than the examples we see at school. To make our study of simple machines easier, allow'due south imagine that nosotros are living in ancient Egypt and that the leader of the country has hired u.s.a. as engineers to build a pyramid. Students tin can act as engineers with the fun and hands-on activities: Stack It Up! and Choosing a Pyramid Site to design and program the structure of a new pyramid. Today's availability of electricity and technologically-avant-garde machines make it difficult for us to see what the uncomplicated machine is accomplishing. Just in the context of ancient Egypt, the simple machines that we volition study are the much more basic tools of the time. After we develop an understanding of uncomplicated machines, we volition shift our context to building a skyscraper in the nowadays day, then nosotros can compare and contrast how simple machines were used across the centuries and are still used today.

Lesson Groundwork and Concepts for Teachers

Apply the fastened Introduction to Simple Machines PowerPoint presentation and Simple Machines Reference Canvas as helpful classroom tools. (Show the PowerPoint presentation, or print out the slides to employ with an overhead projector. The presentation is blithe to promote an research-based manner; each click reveals a new point about each auto; accept students propose characteristics and examples before yous reveal them.)

Unproblematic machines are everywhere; we apply them everyday to perform simple tasks. Simple machines have also been in use since the early days of human being existence. While simple machines take many shapes, they come in half dozen basic types:

• Wedge: A device that forces things autonomously.
• Bike and axle: Used to reduce friction.
• Lever: Moves effectually a pivot point to increase or decrease mechanical advantage.
• Inclined plane: Raises objects by moving upwards a gradient.
• Spiral: A device that can elevator or hold things together.
• Pulley: Changes the management of a force.

Simple Machines

We utilize uncomplicated machines considering they make work easier. The scientific definition of piece of work is the corporeality of force that is applied to an object multiplied past the distance the object is moved. Thus, work consists of force and altitude. Each job takes a specific amount of work to finish it, and this number does not modify. Thus, the force times the distance e'er equals the aforementioned corporeality of piece of work. This means that if you motility something a smaller distance you need to exert a greater force. On the other hand, if you want to exert less strength, you need to motion it over a greater distance. This is the force and distance trade off, or mechanical reward, which is mutual to all simple machines. With mechanical advantage, the longer a job takes, the less force yous need to employ throughout the job. Nigh of the time, we feel that a task is hard considering information technology requires us to employ a lot of forcefulness. Therefore, using the trade off betwixt distance and forcefulness tin can brand our job much easier to complete.

Wedge

The wedge is a simple car that forces objects or substances autonomously by applying force to a large surface area on the wedge, with that forcefulness magnified to a smaller area on the wedge to exercise the actual piece of work. A nail is a common wedge with a wide boom head area where the force is applied, and a small bespeak area where the concentrated force is exerted. The force is magnified at the point, enabling the nail to pierce wood. As the nail sinks into the wood, the wedge shape at the betoken of the smash moves forward, and forces the forest autonomously.

Figure one: An axe is an example of a wedge.

copyright

Copyright © Martin Cathrae, Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/suckamc/3743184350

Everyday examples of wedges include an axe (run into Figure 1), boom, doorstop, chisel, saw, jackhammer, zipper, bulldozer, snow plow, equus caballus plow, zipper, plane wing, knife, fork and bow of a boat or ship.

Bike and Beam

The wheel and axle is a simple machine that reduces the friction involved in moving an object, making the object easier to ship. When an object is pushed, the forcefulness of friction must be overcome to first information technology moving. Once the object is moving, the force of friction opposes the force exerted on the object. The bike and axle makes this easier by reducing the friction involved in moving an object. The wheel rotates around an axle (essentially a rod that goes through the wheel, letting the wheel turn), rolling over the surface and minimizing friction. Imagine trying to push a 9,000-kilogram (~x-ton) block of stone. Wouldn't it be easier to roll it along using logs placed underneath the stone?

Everyday examples of the bicycle and axle include a machine, bicycle, function chair, wheel barrow, shopping cart, hand truck and roller skates.

Lever

A lever unproblematic machine consists of a load, a fulcrum and attempt (or force). The load is the object that is moved or lifted. The fulcrum is the pin point, and the effort is the force required to lift or move the load. By exerting a strength on one terminate of the lever (the applied forcefulness), a force at the other terminate of the lever is created. The applied force is either increased or decreased, depending on the altitude from the fulcrum (the betoken or support on which a lever pivots) to the load, and from the fulcrum to the effort.

Figure 2: A crowbar is an example of a lever.

copyright

Copyright © 2004 Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399 USA. All rights reserved. With notations by the ITL Plan, Academy of Colorado at Boulder, 2005.

Everyday examples of levers include a teeter-totter or see-saw, crane arm, crow bar, hammer (using the claw finish), fishing pole and bottle opener. Think of a how you employ a crowbar (see Figure two). By pushing down on the long end of the crowbar, a force is created at the load end over a smaller distance, once again, demonstrating the tradeoff between force and distance.

Inclined Plane

Inclined planes make it easier to elevator something. Recollect of a ramp. Engineers apply ramps to easily move objects to a greater elevation. At that place are two ways to raise an object: by lifting information technology straight up, or by pushing it diagonally up. Lifting an object directly upwardly moves it over the shortest distance, but you must exert a greater force. On the other paw, using an inclined aeroplane requires a smaller force, only you must exert it over a longer distance.

Everyday examples of inclined planes include highway access ramps, sidewalk ramps, stairs, inclined conveyor belts, and switchback roads or trails.

Spiral

Figure 3: A automobile jack is an example of a spiral-type simple motorcar that enables one person to lift upward the side of a automobile.

copyright

Copyright © https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_(device)#/media/File:Jackscrew.jpg

A screw is essentially an inclined plane wrapped around a shaft. Screws accept two chief functions: they hold things together, or they lift objects. A spiral is expert for property things together because of the threading around the shaft. The threads grip the surrounding material like teeth, resulting in a secure concur; the only way to remove a screw is to unwind it. A motorcar jack is an example of a screw beingness used to lift something (meet Effigy iii).

Everyday examples of screws include a screw, bolt, clamp, jar lid, car jack, spinning stool and screw staircase.

Caster

Figure 4: A caster on a ship helps people pull in a heavy fishing net.

copyright

Copyright © 2004 Microsoft Corporation, 1 Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399 U.s.a.. All rights reserved.

A pulley is a simple machine used to change the management of a forcefulness. Retrieve of raising a flag or lifting a heavy rock. To elevator a stone upward into its place on a pyramid, one would accept to exert a forcefulness that pulls information technology up. By using a pulley fabricated from a grooved wheel and rope, i can pull downward on the rope, capitalizing on the force of gravity, to lift the stone up. Fifty-fifty more than valuable, a system of several pulleys tin exist used together to reduce the forcefulness needed to lift an object.

Everyday examples of pulleys in use include flag poles, elevators, sails, angling nets (see Effigy 4), apparel lines, cranes, window shades and blinds, and rock climbing gear.

Compound Machines

A compound motorcar is a device that combines two or more uncomplicated machines. For example, a wheelbarrow combines the use of a wheel and axle with a lever. Using the half dozen basic simple machines, all sorts of compound machines can be made. There are many elementary and chemical compound machines in your dwelling and classroom. Some examples of the compound machines you may find are a can opener (wedge and lever), practise machines/cranes/tow trucks (levers and pulleys), shovel (lever and wedge), car jack (lever and spiral), wheel barrow (wheel and axle and lever) and cycle (bicycle and beam and pulley).

Associated Activities

• Stack It Up! - Students clarify and begin to design a pyramid. They perform calculations to determine the area of their pyramid base, stone block volumes, the number of blocks required for their pyramid base of operations, and make a scaled cartoon of a pyramid on graph newspaper.

  Spotter this action on YouTube

• Choosing a Pyramid Site - Working in engineering projection teams, students choose a site for the construction of a pyramid. They base of operations their decision on site features as provided by a surveyor'south report; distance from the quarry, river and palace; and other factors they deem important to the project.

Lesson Closure

Today, we take discussed six simple machines. Who can name them for me? (Answer: Wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, screw, and pulley.) How do elementary machines make work easier? (Answer: Mechanical advantage enables us to use less strength to motility an object, but we have to motion it a longer altitude.) Why do engineers utilise uncomplicated machines? (Possible answers: Engineers creatively use their knowledge of science and math to make our lives improve, often using uncomplicated machines. They invent tools that brand work easier. They accomplish huge tasks that could non be washed without the mechanical advantage of simple machines. They blueprint structures and tools to use our environmental resources better and more efficiently.) Tonight, at home, think about everyday examples of the half dozen simple machines. Run into how many yous tin find around your firm!

Complete the KWL Assessment Nautical chart (come across the Assessment section). Guess students' agreement of the lesson by assigning the Simple Machines Worksheet as a take-dwelling quiz. Every bit an extension, utilise the attached Simple Machines Scavenger Hunt! Worksheet to conduct a elementary machines scavenger hunt in which students find examples of simple machines used in the classroom and at home.

In other lessons of this unit of measurement, students report each simple machine in more detail and run into how each could be used as a tool to build a pyramid or a mod building.

Vocabulary/Definitions

blueprint: (verb) To plan out in systematic, often graphic class. To create for a particular purpose or effect. Design a building. (noun) A well thought-out plan.

Engineering: Applying scientific and mathematical principles to applied ends such as the design, manufacture and operation of efficient and economical structures, machines, processes and systems.

force: A push button or pull on an object.

inclined aeroplane: A uncomplicated machine that raises an object to greater height. Usually a straight slanted surface and no moving parts, such every bit a ramp, sloping road or stairs.

lever: A simple machine that increases or decreases the force to lift something. Usually a bar pivoted on a stock-still point (fulcrum) to which strength is applied to do work.

mechanical advantage : An advantage gained by using simple machines to accomplish work with less effort. Making the task easier (which ways it requires less strength), but may require more time or room to work (more distance, rope, etc.). For case, applying a smaller force over a longer distance to reach the same event equally applying a big forcefulness over a small distance. The ratio of the output force exerted by a machine to the input force applied to information technology.

caster: A simple machine that changes the direction of a forcefulness, often to lift a load. Usually consists of a grooved bicycle in which a pulled rope or chain runs.

pyramid: A massive structure of ancient Egypt and Mesoamerica used for a crypt or tomb. The typical shape is a foursquare or rectangular base at the footing with sides (faces) in the form of four triangles that meet in a point at the tiptop. Mesoamerican temples accept stepped sides and a flat summit surmounted by chambers.

spiral: A uncomplicated machine that lifts or holds materials together. Oftentimes a cylindrical rod incised with a spiral thread.

simple machine: A auto with few or no moving parts that is used to make work easier (provides a mechanical advantage). For example, a wedge, bike and axle, lever, inclined airplane, spiral, or caster.

spiral: A curve that winds around a fixed centre signal (or axis) at a continuously increasing or decreasing distance from that indicate.

tool: A device used to do work.

wedge: A simple machine that forces materials autonomously. Used for splitting, tightening, securing or levering. It is thick at one end and tapered to a sparse edge at the other.

bicycle and beam: A simple machine that reduces the friction of moving by rolling. A wheel is a disk designed to plough around an beam passed through the heart of the bicycle. An axle is a supporting cylinder on which a wheel or a set of wheels revolves.

work: Force on an object multiplied by the altitude it moves. W = F x d (force multiplied past distance).

Assessment

Pre-Lesson Assessment

Know / Want to Know / Learn (KWL) Nautical chart: Create a classroom KWL chart to help organize learning about a new topic. On a large sheet of paper or on the classroom board, describe a chart with the title "Building with Simple Machines." Describe three columns titled, Chiliad, Westward and L, representing what students know nearly simple machines, what they want to know most simple machines and what they learned almost simple machines. Fill out the K and W sections during the lesson introduction as facts and questions sally. Fill out the L section at the end of the lesson.

Post-Introduction Assessment

Reference Sheet: Hand out the attached Simple Machines Reference Sheet. Review the information and respond any questions. Advise the students keep the canvas handy in their desks, folders or journals.

Observations: Evidence students an example of each uncomplicated machine and take them brand observations and talk over any patterns that can be used to predict future movement.

Lesson Summary Assessment

Closing Give-and-take: Conduct an informal class word, asking the students what they learned from the activities. Ask the students:

• Who can name the different types of simple machines? (Respond: Wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, spiral, and pulley.)
• How practise unproblematic machines make work easier? (Answer: Mechanical advantage enables us to use less force to motility an object, but we take to move it a longer distance.)
• Why do engineers employ simple machines? (Possible answers: Engineers creatively apply their cognition of science and math to brand our lives better, oftentimes using simple machines. They invent tools that make work easier. They achieve huge tasks that could not be done without the mechanical advantage of elementary machines. They blueprint structures and tools to use our environmental resources amend and more efficiently.)

Remind students that engineers consider many factors when they plan, design and create something. Ask the students:

• What are the considerations an engineer must go on in listen when designing a new structure? (Possible answers: Size and shape (pattern) of the structure, available construction materials, calculation of materials needed, comparing materials and costs, making drawings, etc.)
• What are the considerations an engineer must keep in mind when choosing a site to build a new structure? (Possible answers: Site physical characteristics [topography, soil foundation], distance to construction resources [wood, rock, water, physical], suitability for the construction's purpose [locate a schoolhouse or grocery shop nigh where people live].)

KWL Nautical chart (Decision): Every bit a class, finish cavalcade Fifty of the KWL Nautical chart equally described in the Pre-Lesson Assessment section. Listing all of the things they learned nigh simple machines. Were all of the W questions answered? What new things did they learn?

Homework

Have-Dwelling Quiz: Gauge students' understanding of the lesson past assigning the Simple Machines Worksheet as a take-abode quiz.

Lesson Extension Activities

Utilise the attached Simple Machines Scavenger Chase! Worksheet to conduct a fun scavenger hunt. Have the students find examples of all the unproblematic machines used in the classroom and their homes.

Bring in everyday examples of simple machines and demonstrate how they work.

Illustrate the power of simple machines by request students to practise a task without using a simple machine, and so with 1. For instance, create a lever demonstration by hammering a nail into a piece of wood. Have students endeavour to pull the blast out, first using only their hands

Bring in a diverseness of everyday examples of simple machines. Hand out one out to each educatee and have them remember well-nigh what type of elementary machine it is. Next, have students place the items into categories by elementary machines and explicate why they chose to place their item there. Ask students what life would be like without this item. Emphasize that unproblematic machines make our life easier.

See the Edheads website for an interactive game on simple machines: http://edheads.org.

Engineering science Design Fun with Levers: Requite each pair of students a paint stirrer, three small plastic cups, a slice of duct tape and a wooden block or spool (or anything like). Challenge the students to design a simple car lever that will throw a ping pong ball (or any other type of minor ball) every bit loftier as possible. In the re-pattern phase, allow the students to request materials to add on to their pattern. Have a pocket-sized contest to see which grouping was able to send the ping pong ball flying high. Talk over with the class why that detail design was successful versus other variations seen during the competition.

Additional Multimedia Back up

Run across http://edheads.org for a good simple machines website with curricular materials including educational games and activities.

References

Lexicon.com. Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. Accessed Jan 11, 2006. (Source of some vocabulary definitions, with some adaptation) http://www.dictionary.com

Simple Machines. inQuiry Almanack, The Franklin Establish Online, Unisys and Drexel eLearning. Accessed January 11, 2006. http://sln.fi.edu/qa97/spotlight3/spotlight3.html

Copyright

© 2005 by Regents of the University of Colorado.

Contributors

Greg Ramsey; Glen Sirakavit; Lawrence East. Carlson; Jacquelyn Sullivan; Malinda Schaefer Zarske; Denise Carlson, with pattern input from the students in the spring 2005 K-12 Engineering Outreach Corps class

Supporting Program

Integrated Instruction and Learning Program, College of Technology, Academy of Colorado Bedrock

Acknowledgements

The contents of these digital library curricula were adult by the Integrated Educational activity and Learning Program under National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. 0338326. However, these contents exercise not necessarily correspond the policies of the National Scientific discipline Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: March 8, 2022

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