Vocabulary

A wheel is a lever that can turn 360 degrees

and can have an effort or resistance applied
anywhere on that surface. The effort or
resistance force can be applied either to the
outer wheel or the inner wheel (axle).
An axle is the spindle on which one or more
wheels revolve.
Resistance is the force we are trying to
overcome.
Effort is the forces we use to overcome
resistance.
The fulcrum is the point or support
about which a lever turns.

A wheel and axle is a lever that rotates

in a circle around a center point or
fulcrum. The larger wheel (or outside)
rotates around the smaller wheel
(axle). All wheels need an axle. The
wheel and axle must move together to
be a simple machine.
wheel

A wheel and axle lifts or moves loads.

Bicycle wheels, Ferris wheels and
gears are all examples of a wheel and
axle. Wheels can also have a solid
shaft with the center core as the axle.
Examples of these are screwdrivers,
drill bits or the log in a log rolling
contest.

If effort is applied to the

wheel, it turns the axle.
They both move together.
The larger the wheel the
greater the force over the
distance of the axle. This
is evident in steering
wheels and doorknobs.

Resistance

Effort

Fulcrum

Effort

Fulcrum
Resistance

If effort is applied to the

axle, the wheel turns.
Examples include vehicle
wheels, motorized fans and
circular saws.

Two Machines in One?

A wheel and axle is really two
machines in one because you
can use each part in different
ways.

Two Machines in One?

The first way is to roll something along.
Wheels help you move an object across the
ground because they cut down on the
amount of friction between what you're
trying to move and the surface you're
pulling it against. (The axle is the object
that attaches the wheel to the object it's
moving.) Since only the very bottom of the
wheel touches the ground, there is less
surface area to rub and less friction.
Imagine pulling a little red wagon without
any wheels! Generally speaking, the bigger
the wheel, the easier it is to make
something roll.

Two Machines in One?

The second way of using a wheel is like a
round lever. A door knob or a faucet on a
sink are really round levers, and the
"fulcrum" is in the middle where the axle
turns. Imagine if a door knob was replaced
with a little rod. It would be much harder to
open the door! Once again, there's a tradeoff: The larger the diameter of the
wheel, the less effort you need to
turn it, but you have to move the
wheel a greater distance to get the
same work done.

Completion Date: 2008

Height: 169 meters (555ft)

(equivalent to 42 story building)

Diameter: 150 meters (492 ft)

Duration of ride:
37 minutes. The ride will be
operational 16 hours a day.

Capsules:
Comprises 28 fully airconditioned and UV protected
capsules that can comfortably
carry 32 people each (max 36).

Did You Know?

The wheel and axle is a type of lever.
If the wheel is turning the axle, its a
type of second-class lever. The radius
of the axle is a resistance arm. The
center of the axle is the fulcrum.

References
Information used from and credited to the following websites:

http://www.sirinet.net/~jgjohnso/simple.html

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=102884

http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/curr/science/sciber00/8th/machines/sciber/machine7.htm

http://sln.fi.edu/pieces/knox/automaton/wheel.htm
http://teacher.scholastic.com/dirtrep/simple/wheel.htm
http://www.msichicago.org/ed/scienceminute/ScienceMinute4.06.pdf
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceSimpleMachines-WheelAxle46.htm