ADLC Science 8 - Mechanical Systems PDF

Preview/Review Concepts
for
Grade Eight Science
W1 - Lesson 3B:
Simple Machines
OBJECTIVES
By the end of this lesson, you should
• identify and describe the six main simple machines
• explain why simple machines are used
• solve simple problems dealing with levers, inclined planes, and pulleys
GLOSSARY
effort arm - the part of the lever pulley - a grooved wheel over
from the fulcrum to the which a rope slides to move
applied force an object
inclined plane - sloping surface up screw - an inclined plane wrapped

or down which something can around a central core.
be moved
wedge - inclined plane used to
lever - solid bars that pivot or turn pry things apart
on a point called a fulcrum
wheel and axle - two wheels of
load arm - the part of the lever from different diameters which
the fulcrum to the load are hooked together at their
centre points and move
together
Preview/Review Concepts W1 - Lesson 3B Science Grade 8
W1 - Lesson 3B: Simple Machines

Welcome to W1 - Lesson 3B. This lesson is designed to teach
you about simple machines; it should take about 60 minutes to
complete.
Simple Machines
The major aspect that sets humans apart from other animals is
our reasoning mind. One thing we have used our minds for is
the development of machines that make tasks easier. We have
accomplished many impressive feats through history using
variations of these machines.
A simple machine is a tool or device made up of one basic

machine. It is made of materials suitable for its function so that it
does not fall apart while being used. Simple machines can be put
together to make more complicated machines. This lesson helps you
understand six simple machines: lever, inclined plane, wedge,
screw, pulley, and wheel and axle.
When using machines, as you gain a force advantage, you lose a

speed advantage and vice versa.
Developed by Alberta Distance Learning Centre .......................................................................................................... 1

Science Grade 8 Preview/Review Concepts W1 - Lesson 3B
Lever
Levers are solid bars that pivot or turn on a point called the
fulcrum. Some reduce the force needed to carry out a task such as
lifting heavy objects.
Levers are of three types:
• The first class lever has the fulcrum between the force used to
move an object and the object on the other side. An example is
a pry bar. As you lengthen the side of the lever where you apply
force, moving the load on the other side is easier.
• A second class lever has the weight or load between the force
and the fulcrum. A wheelbarrow is an example. The closer the
load is to the fulcrum, the easier it is to move the load.
• The third class lever has the force between the load and the
fulcrum. Sports equipment such as golf clubs and tennis rackets
are levers of this type. They speed the load - in this case, the
ball.
Here is an example of how a class 1 lever works. If you have a load

on one side of the fulcrum and you want the lever to balance, you
must apply the same force the same distance from the fulcrum on
the other side.
10 N
- 1m - - 1m -
10 N
To balance a load with twice the force, but keep the applied force
the same, you must move the applied force two times as far from
the fulcrum.
10 N
-x- - 2x -
20 N
2 ............................................................................................................. Developed by Alberta Distance Learning Centre

Activity 1
Read and understand pages 261 to 262 in Science in Action 8. Then,

answer the following questions.
1. Define the term simple machine.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. In your own words describe how to make a lever.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

3. Draw and describe the three different kinds of levers. Explain

how each is used.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

4. Which class of lever has the load between the effort and the
fulcrum.
___________________________________________________________
5. A class 1 lever with load arm and effort arm is 2 metres long.
The fulcrum is in the middle. A 100 N load is at the end of the
load arm. How much effort must be applied to the end of the
effort arm to lift the load?
___________________________________________________________
6. What happens to the amount of effort needed if the effort arm is

lengthened to 2 m?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Inclined Plane
The easiest way to describe an inclined plane is to say it is a

sloping surface up which something can be moved. A good example
of a ramp or inclined plane is a plank used to put a motorbike into
the back of a truck. Instead of lifting the heavy motorbike straight
up (which would require a force equal to the weight of the bike), a
ramp can be used to make the job easier. However, the object being
lifted using a ramp must travel a greater distance than the distance
of lifting straight up. For example, to halve the force required, the
ramp must be two times longer than the height the object is lifted.

Activity 2
Read and understand the inclined plane section on page 263 in

Science in Action 8. Then, answer the following questions.
1. Draw and describe an inclined plane. Explain how is it used.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. Describe a scenario (other than the one provided) where an

inclined plane could be used.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
3. Refer to page 263 in Science in Action 8. To lift an object

straight up 1 metre requires 1000 N of effort. However, to pull
the same object up a ramp requires 250 N of effort. How long is
the ramp?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

4. Imagine you moved a load along an inclined plane that is 6x as

long as the height the object was lifted. You applied 200N of
effort. What was the weight (in N) of the load?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Wedge
A wedge is used to make the job of prying things apart easier. The
small pointed end is forced into an object followed by a continuously
wider part, and the object is forced into two pieces. Some examples
of wedges are knives, axes, and scissors. As well, the teeth on a
zipper are wedges.
Activity 3
Read and understand the wedge section on page 263 in Science in

Action 8. Then, answer the following question.
1. What might you use a wedge for in your daily life?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. Name and describe a machine that has a wedge as one of its

parts.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

Screw
Think of an inclined plane wrapped around something. That is a

screw. It turns rotational motion into straight motion. A screw
has a power advantage; less force is needed than if it was not used.
A screw can be used to lift things (car jacks), move things (a grain
auger), or fasten things together (a wood screw).
Activity 4
Read and understand the screw section on page 264 in Science in

Action 8. Then, answer the following questions.
1. Draw and describe a screw. How is it used? Give some examples

of a screw.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Pulley
A pulley is a grooved wheel over which a rope slides to move an object. Pulleys can be
used to lift objects. If a force advantage is gained with a pulley, the amount of rope to
pull is longer than the distance the rope will lift an object. Each rope going up from the
object, moves the same distance as the object. If there are four “up-ropes”, the end of the
rope will have to be pulled four times as far as the object is lifted. The rope can go over or
under the pulley. The more pulleys used in the system, the heavier the load that can be
lifted. The more “up-ropes” from a load, the less input force is required.

If there are four ropes going up from the load, one quarter the force is needed than if the
load was lifted straight up without the pulleys.
2 pulleys, 2 up-ropes from load; therefore, force needed is halved
5 000/2 = 2 500 N
The rope will need to be pulled 2 m

for every 1 m the load is lifted (each
up-rope moves the height the load
moves)
5000 N
load
Activity 5
Read and understand the pulley section on page 264 in Science in

Action 8. Then, answer the following questions.
1. Draw and describe a pulley. How is it used? Give three

examples of the things that might be common for pulleys to lift.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

2. Draw a pulley system with six up-ropes with the load having a
mass of 1 000 N. How much force must be applied to move the
load?
3. Imagine you have a large load to lift, but are able to apply only
1/10 the force needed to lift it. If you attach pulleys to the load,
how many “up-ropes” should be attached to the load?
________________________________________________________
4. Draw a pulley set-up that uses five pulleys to reduce effort.
Wheel and Axle
The wheel and axle is a combination of two wheels of different

diameters that turn together because they are solidly attached. If
the wheel makes one complete rotation, the axle makes one rotation
also. Force applied on the larger wheel allows the smaller wheel
(the axle) to turn with a greater force, allowing it to do the work
more easily. A door knob is a good example. You turn the larger
knob or wheel, and it provides greater force for the smaller axle,
allowing enough force for the door mechanism to open. If force was
applied to the smaller axle, the larger wheel would spin faster. This
is a speed advantage.

Activity 6
Read and understand page 265 in Science in Action 8. Then, answer

the following questions.
1. Draw and describe a wheel and axle. How is it used? What are
some examples of a wheel and axle?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. If an axle turns 10 times in 5 seconds, how many times does the

attached wheel turn in the same time?
___________________________________________________________
3. If you turn the small wheel on a wheel and axle, would the
larger wheel spin slower or faster than the small axle?
___________________________________________________________

4. If you turn the large wheel, would the smaller wheel (axle) spin
slower or faster than the large wheel?
___________________________________________________________
5. Some of the older semi trucks had very large steering wheels.
What is the reason for this?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
You should now be able to meet all of the objectives

listed at the beginning of the lesson. Go through the list
to see if there is anything you need to spend more time
on.
Extended Activity (Homework)
At your home, make a list of items that are examples of each of

the following simple machines: lever, inclined plane, wedge, screw,
pulley, and wheel and axle. Try to find at least one example for
each.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Science Grade 8
W1 - Lesson 4: Gears, Mechanical
Advantage, Speed Ratios, and Efficiency
V5-07
Important Concepts of Grade 8 Science Materials
Required
W1 - Lesson 1 ...................................................................... Mass, Volume, and Density
W1 - Lesson 2 ............................................................. Solubility and Saturation Points
Textbook:
W1 - Lesson 3A ...................................................... Viscosity, Flow Rate, and Buoyancy
Science in
W1 - Lesson 3B .................................................................................... Simple Machines
Action 8
W1 - Lesson 4 .................Gears, Mechanical Advantage, Speed Ratios, and Efficiency
W1 - Lesson 5 .....................................................................Hydraulics and Pneumatics
W1- Quiz
W2 - Lesson 1 ....The Role of Cells within Living Things, Cells-Tissue-Organ System
W2 - Lesson 2 ......................................................................................... The Microscope
W2 - Lesson 3 ................................................................................ Body Systems Part 1
W2 - Lesson 5 ................................................ Problems Associated with Body Systems
W2 - Quiz
W3 - Lesson 1 ....................................................Transmission and Absorption of Light
W3 - Lesson 2 .......................................................... Reflection and Refraction of Light
W3 - Lesson 3A ...................................................................................Vision and Lenses
W3 - Lesson 3B .. Water in its Various States Affects Earth’s Landforms and Climate
W3 - Lesson 4 ........................................................ Adaptations to Aquatic Ecosystems
W3 - Lesson 5 ........................................................................................... Water Quality
W3 - Quiz ..........................................................................................................................
Science Grade 8
Version 5
Preview/Review W1 - Lesson 4
Publisher: Alberta Distance Learning Centre

Author: Kevin De Clerq
In-House Teachers: Barb Philips and Norene Pinder
Project Coordinator: Dennis McCarthy

Preview/Review Publishing Coordinating Team: Nina Johnson,
Laura Renkema, and Donna Silgard
The Alberta Distance Learning Centre has an Internet site that you may find useful. The address is as follows: http://www.adlc.ca
The use of the Internet is optional. Exploring the electronic information superhighway can be educational and entertaining. However, be
aware that these computer networks are not censored. Students may unintentionally or purposely find articles on the Internet that may
be offensive or inappropriate. As well, the sources of information are not always cited and the content may not be accurate. Therefore,
students may wish to confirm facts with a second source.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Copyright © 2007, by Alberta Distance Learning Centre, 4601-63 Avenue, Barrhead, Alberta, Canada, T7N 1P4. Additional copies
may be obtained from the Alberta Distance Learning Centre.
No part of this courseware may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying (unless
otherwise indicated), recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of Alberta Distance
Learning Centre.
Every effort has been made both to provide proper acknowledgement of the original source and to comply with copyright law. If
cases are identified where this effort has been unsuccessful, please notify Alberta Distance Learning Centre so that appropriate
corrective action can be taken.
IT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED TO COPY ANY PART OF THESE MATERIALS UNDER THE TERMS OF
A LICENCE FROM A COLLECTIVE OR A LICENSING BODY.
for
Grade Eight Science
W1 - Lesson 4:
Gears, Mechanical Advantage,
Speed Ratios, and Efficiency
OBJECTIVES
• identify and describe different types of gears
• do simple calculations for reducing and multiplying gears
• calculate the mechanical advantage, speed ratios, and efficiency of simple

machines
GLOSSARY
efficiency - how well something uses multiplying gears - gears which

energy for its intended purpose increase output speed
gears - wheels with interlocking teeth reducing gears - gears which reduce
used to transfer energy output speed
mechanical advantage - amount speed ratio - the measure of how the

by which a machine multiplies speed of an object is affected by
force a machine
Preview/Review Concepts W1 - Lesson 4 Science Grade 8
W1 - Lesson 4: Gears, Mechanical Advantage, Speed Ratios, and

Efficiency
Welcome to W1 - Lesson 4. This lesson is designed to teach you

about gears, mechanical advantage, speed ratios, and
efficiency. It should take about 1.5 hours to complete.
Gears
An important simple machine not yet discussed is the gear. Gears

are wheels with teeth that interlock. The wheel that has an external
force applied to it is the driving gear; the one that receives force
from the driving gear is the driven gear. Sprockets are gears
joined by a chain, as on a bicycle.
When the driving gear is larger than the driven gear, they are
called multiplying gears. Speed is increased and force decreased
using this combination.
See what happens if you use the following multiplying gear

combination on a bike.
driving gear (front sprocket) has 48 teeth

driven gear (back sprocket) has 12 teeth
Everytime you push the foot pedal one complete rotation, the front
sprocket turns the same. The back sprocket will turn
48
= 4 turns in the same time
12
This will turn the back tire four complete rotations, to speed the bike up.
When the driving gear is smaller than the driven gear, they are called reducing gears.
Speed is decreased and force is increased.
An example of reducing gears can be found in a mechanized display tray. If the driving
gear has 10 teeth and the driven gear has 100 teeth, the tray (attached to the driven gear)
will turn
10
= 0.1 times for every turn of the driving gear
100
In other words, to turn the display once, the driving gear must turn 10 times.

Science Grade 8 Preview/Review Concepts W1 - Lesson 4
Activity 1

1. A driving gear has 18 teeth, and the driven gear has 6 teeth.
How many times does the driven gear turn for every one turn of
the driving gear?
2. Assume the following information for a bicycle. The front

sprocket used has 48 teeth, the back sprocket used has 8 teeth.
For every turn of the back sprocket, the back tire (circumference
= 2.5 m) also makes one complete turn. How far does the bike
move with every turn of the front sprocket?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
3. If you were riding a bike in a race, what type of gear

combination would you want to use?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
4. If you were riding a bike up a steep hill, what gear combination

would you want to use?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

5. What type of gear gives more force than speed?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Machines affect the amount of force applied to an object or load,

plus the speed at which a load is moved. Different machines have
different efficiencies. The mechanical advantage, speed ratio, and
efficiency can be calculated for any machine.
Mechanical Advantage
One of the main reasons we use machines is to do something

with less force. In other words, we want to gain a mechanical or
force advantage. The mechanical advantage of a machine is
determined by finding the ratio of output force to input force. The
equation used for this is
Output force
Mechanical Advantage (MA) =
Input force
The greater the ratio, the greater the mechanical advantage, and
the less the force needed as input. For example, a MA of 6 means
the machine applies 6 times the force you put into it; a machine
with a MA of 2 applies only 2 times the force you put into it.
If a machine has a MA less than 1, you are putting more force into
it than you are getting out of it. In that case, you are probably using
the machine to gain a speed advantage.
An example of mechanical advantage is seen in a pulley system.

This system required 100 N input force to get 3000 N output force.
The mechanical advantage of the machine is
3 000 N
= 30
100 N
In other words, you can get out 30 times the effort you put into this
machine.

Activity 2

1. The machine you are using requires an input force of 60 N to

put out 300 N force. What is the mechanical advantage of this
machine?
2. Give an example of where you might want a force advantage.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Speed Ratios
Sometimes we want to have an object increase speed. We can use

simple machines to do that. A speed ratio tells how much a
machine affects the speed of a load.
Input distance
Speed Ratio (SR) =
Output distance
The greater the ratio, the SLOWER the load moves and the faster
the input part moves. If you want the load to move faster than the
input, the speed ratio of the machine must be less than 1.

A speed ratio can be calculated for a class 1 lever. If the end of the
load arm moved 0.5 m in the time it took the effort arm to move 2 m,
the speed ratio is
2m = 4
0.5 m
In other words, the load moved one-quarter times as quickly as the

effort and the effort moved four times as quickly as the load.
Activity 3

1. Where might you want a speed advantage?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. To pull a load 2 m using a particular pulley arrangement, the

rope must be pulled 12 m. What is the speed ratio of the pulleys?
Summary: The greater the mechanical advantage a machine

produces, the slower it will move the load. Conversely, the less the
mechanical advantage, the faster the load will move.
Another way of saying this is the easier it is to move a load a certain

distance, the further the input must move to do it. An example is a
pulley system with a mechanical advantage of 4. To move its load
1 m, the input rope must be pulled 4 m.

Efficiency
Efficiency is a measurement of how well a machine or device uses

energy. The formula to calculate efficiency is
Mechanical Advantage
Efficiency = x 100
Speed Ratio
or
MA x 100
Efficiency (%) =
SR
If a machine has a mechanical advantage of 3 and a speed ratio of 4,

its efficiency is
3 x 100% = 75%
4
Activity 4

1. Why are machines never 100% efficient?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. What are some ways of dealing with heat caused by friction in

machines?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

3. Explain why the mechanical advantage of a machine is affected

by friction, but the speed ratio is not.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
4. The following information is known about a simple machine.
Input force = 12.0 N Input distance = 0.5 m

Output force = 5.0 N Output distance = 1.0 m
What is the efficiency of the machine?
You should now be able to meet all of the objectives

listed at the beginning of the lesson. Go through the list
to see if there is anything you need to spend more time
on.

Extended Activity (Homework)
Look for gears on some machines at home. Determine if they are

multiplying or reducing gears.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Science Grade 8
W1 - Lesson 5: Hydraulics and

Pneumatics
V5-07
Important Concepts of Grade 8 Science Materials
Required
W1 - Lesson 1 ...................................................................... Mass, Volume, and Density
W1 - Lesson 2 ............................................................. Solubility and Saturation Points
Textbook:
W1 - Lesson 3A ...................................................... Viscosity, Flow Rate, and Buoyancy
Science in
W1 - Lesson 3B .................................................................................... Simple Machines
Action 8
W1 - Lesson 4 .................Gears, Mechanical Advantage, Speed Ratios, and Efficiency
W1 - Lesson 5 .....................................................................Hydraulics and Pneumatics
W1- Quiz
W2 - Lesson 1 ....The Role of Cells within Living Things, Cells-Tissue-Organ System
W2 - Lesson 2 ......................................................................................... The Microscope
W2 - Lesson 5 ................................................ Problems Associated with Body Systems
W2 - Quiz
W3 - Lesson 1 ....................................................Transmission and Absorption of Light
W3 - Lesson 2 .......................................................... Reflection and Refraction of Light
W3 - Lesson 3A ...................................................................................Vision and Lenses
W3 - Lesson 3B .. Water in its Various States Affects Earth’s Landforms and Climate
W3 - Lesson 4 ........................................................ Adaptations to Aquatic Ecosystems
W3 - Lesson 5 ........................................................................................... Water Quality
W3 - Quiz ..........................................................................................................................
Science Grade 8
Version 5
Preview/Review W1 - Lesson 5
Publisher: Alberta Distance Learning Centre

Author: Kevin De Clerq
In-House Teachers: Barb Philips and Norene Pinder
Project Coordinator: Dennis McCarthy

Preview/Review Publishing Coordinating Team: Nina Johnson,
Laura Renkema, and Donna Silgard
The Alberta Distance Learning Centre has an Internet site that you may find useful. The address is as follows: http://www.adlc.ca
The use of the Internet is optional. Exploring the electronic information superhighway can be educational and entertaining. However, be
aware that these computer networks are not censored. Students may unintentionally or purposely find articles on the Internet that may
be offensive or inappropriate. As well, the sources of information are not always cited and the content may not be accurate. Therefore,
students may wish to confirm facts with a second source.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Copyright © 2007, by Alberta Distance Learning Centre, 4601-63 Avenue, Barrhead, Alberta, Canada, T7N 1P4. Additional copies
may be obtained from the Alberta Distance Learning Centre.
No part of this courseware may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying (unless
otherwise indicated), recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of Alberta Distance
Learning Centre.
Every effort has been made both to provide proper acknowledgement of the original source and to comply with copyright law. If
cases are identified where this effort has been unsuccessful, please notify Alberta Distance Learning Centre so that appropriate
corrective action can be taken.
IT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED TO COPY ANY PART OF THESE MATERIALS UNDER THE TERMS OF
A LICENCE FROM A COLLECTIVE OR A LICENSING BODY.
for
Grade Eight Science
W1 - Lesson 5:
Hydraulics and Pneumatics
OBJECTIVES
• describe and identify hydraulic and pneumatic systems
• calculate force and pressure at various locations in hydraulic and

pneumatic systems
• explain Pascal’s law
• calculate mechanical advantage in hydraulic systems
GLOSSARY
hydraulics - system using confined, pressure - force applied over a given

pressurized liquids to move area
loads
pneumatics - system using

pressurized gas to move loads
W1 - Lesson 5: Hydraulics and Pneumatics

Welcome to W1 - Lesson 5. This lesson is designed to teach you
about hydraulics and pneumatics; it should take about 60 minutes
to complete. At the end of this lesson, you will have a short quiz on
the material you covered this week.
Hydraulics and Pneumatics
You have probably heard of hydraulics and pneumatics.

What are they? Very simply, they are systems that use confined
fluids under pressure to move loads. A hydraulic system uses an
incompressible liquid; a pneumatic system uses a compressed gas.
Both hydraulics and pneumatics are based on the same principles,
and reduce the amount of force needed to move a load.

Activity 1

1. Name some places that hydraulics are used to move loads.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. Name some places that pneumatics are used.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Pressure
To understand how hydraulics and pneumatics work, you must

understand the concept of pressure. Pressure is a measure of the
amount of force applied to a given area and can be calculated with
the formula
p = F/A
where p is pressure
F is force usually in newtons
A is area
If area is measured in cm2, the unit of pressure is N/cm2. If area is

measured in m2, the unit would be N / m2 or pascals (Pa).
This equation can be rearranged as F = pA and A = F/p

For example, if a force of 60 N is applied to a platform 2 m2, we

could calculate the pressure on that surface as follows.
F
p=
A
60 N
=
2 m2
= 30 N/m 2
= 30 Pa
In a confined fluid, pressure is transmitted equally in all
directions. This is called Pascal’s Law. The pressure applies force
to every surface it comes into contact with. Each cm2 receives the
same force. If it applies 1 N of force on a cm2, it applies 1 N of force
to every cm2 of surface area it contacts.
If a force of 15 N is applied to a 5 cm2 area in a hydraulic system,

what amount of force is transmitted to an area 30 cm2 in size?
F
=
cm 2
15 N
=
5 cm 2
= 3 N/cm 2
The total force applied to 30 cm2 =
3N
30 cm2 x = 90 N
cm2
OR you might notice that 30 cm2 = 6 times as large as the initial

area and simply multiply the first force by 6 to get the answer.
Activity 2

1. If the pressure at one spot in a hydraulic or pneumatic system is

50 Pa, what is the pressure at any other spot in the system?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

2. If a hydraulic piston with an area 2 cm2 is pushed with a force of

50 N, how much pressure is created in the liquid?
3. If 20 N of force is applied to 2 cm2 in a hydraulic or pneumatic

system, how much force is transmitted to 10 cm2?
Pistons
Hydraulic systems use a combination of two different-sized pistons

attached to the ends of a cylinder or flexible pipe. The smaller
input piston is where external force is applied to the fluid to create
pressure. The larger output piston is where the fluid pressure
applies force, and where the load is positioned.
Activity 3

1. If there are 100 Pa of pressure in a hydraulic system, what

force would be found at the output piston with a surface area of
0.5m2?
2. A jack has a 1 cm2 input piston where 250 N force is applied.

What weight object could be lifted on the 10 cm2 output piston?

3. Do you get any mechanical advantage if you put the load on the
small piston and apply force to the large piston?
___________________________________________________________
Mechanical Advantage in Hydraulic Systems
Hydraulics and pneumatics are used to gain mechanical advantage.

As with simple machines, the formula for Mechanical Advantge is
MA = Output force/Input force
For example, in a hydraulic system, if the force input is 20 Newtons

and the force output is 600 Newtons, then
600 N
MA =
20 N
= 30
Therefore, you would be getting out 30 times more force than you
are putting into the system.

Activity 4

1. A hydraulic hoist at “Pete’s Garage” can lift a 2000 kg vehicle. It

takes one newton to lift 100 g. How many newtons are required
to lift this vehicle?
2. The fluid compressor on the hoist (input force) provides 1500

Newtons of force on the hydraulic fluid and the 2000 kg car
is lifted. Calculate the mechanical advantage. (Uses newtons
calculated from question 1.)
3. As the mechanical advantage of a hydraulic jack increases, what

happens to the distance the input piston has to move?
___________________________________________________________
4. Why can hydraulic systems provide a large mechanical

advantage?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Take some time to review the material you

learned this week. You will be writing a short
quiz before you go home.

ADLC Science 8 - Mechanical Systems PDF

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ADLC Science 8 - Mechanical Systems PDF

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Preview/Review Concepts

• identify and describe the six main simple machines

• explain why simple machines are used

inclined plane - sloping surface up screw - an inclined plane wrapped

W1 - Lesson 3B: Simple Machines

A simple machine is a tool or device made up of one basic

When using machines, as you gain a force advantage, you lose a

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Levers are of three types:

Here is an example of how a class 1 lever works. If you have a load

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Read and understand pages 261 to 262 in Science in Action 8. Then,

1. Deﬁne the term simple machine.

2. In your own words describe how to make a lever.

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3. Draw and describe the three different kinds of levers. Explain

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6. What happens to the amount of effort needed if the effort arm is

The easiest way to describe an inclined plane is to say it is a

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Read and understand the inclined plane section on page 263 in

1. Draw and describe an inclined plane. Explain how is it used.

2. Describe a scenario (other than the one provided) where an

3. Refer to page 263 in Science in Action 8. To lift an object

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4. Imagine you moved a load along an inclined plane that is 6x as

Read and understand the wedge section on page 263 in Science in

1. What might you use a wedge for in your daily life?

2. Name and describe a machine that has a wedge as one of its

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Think of an inclined plane wrapped around something. That is a

Read and understand the screw section on page 264 in Science in

1. Draw and describe a screw. How is it used? Give some examples

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2 pulleys, 2 up-ropes from load; therefore, force needed is halved

The rope will need to be pulled 2 m

Read and understand the pulley section on page 264 in Science in

1. Draw and describe a pulley. How is it used? Give three

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4. Draw a pulley set-up that uses ﬁve pulleys to reduce effort.

Wheel and Axle

The wheel and axle is a combination of two wheels of different

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Read and understand page 265 in Science in Action 8. Then, answer

2. If an axle turns 10 times in 5 seconds, how many times does the

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You should now be able to meet all of the objectives

Extended Activity (Homework)

At your home, make a list of items that are examples of each of

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Publisher: Alberta Distance Learning Centre

Project Coordinator: Dennis McCarthy

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• identify and describe different types of gears

• do simple calculations for reducing and multiplying gears

• calculate the mechanical advantage, speed ratios, and efﬁciency of simple

efﬁciency - how well something uses multiplying gears - gears which

mechanical advantage - amount speed ratio - the measure of how the

W1 - Lesson 4: Gears, Mechanical Advantage, Speed Ratios, and

Welcome to W1 - Lesson 4. This lesson is designed to teach you

An important simple machine not yet discussed is the gear. Gears

See what happens if you use the following multiplying gear

driving gear (front sprocket) has 48 teeth