Simple Machines

Matt Aufman and Steve Case

University of Mississippi
NSF NMGK-8
February 2006

Simple Machines
Have few or no moving
parts
Make work easier
Can be combined to create
complex machines
Six simple machines:
Lever, Inclined Plane,
Wheel and Axle, Screw,
Wedge, Pulley

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Lever
A rigid board or rod
combined with a
fulcrum and effort
By varying position of
load and fulcrum, load
can be lifted or moved
with less force
Trade off: must move
lever large distance to
move load small
distance
There are 3 types of
levers

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1st Class Lever

The fulcrum is
located between
the effort and the
load
Direction of force
always changes
Examples are
scissors, pliers,
and crowbars
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2nd Class Lever

The resistance is
located between
the fulcrum and
the effort
Direction of force
does not change
Examples include
bottle openers and
wheelbarrows
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3rd Class Lever

The effort is
located between
the fulcrum and
the resistance
Direction of force
does not change,
but a gain in speed
always happens
Examples include
ice tongs, tweezers
and shovels
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Mechanical Advantage
We know that a machine multiplies whatever
force you put into it:
- Using a screwdriver to turn a screw
- Twisting a nail with pliers
- Carrying a box up a ramp instead
of stairs
The amount that the machine multiplies that
force is the mechanical advantage of the
machine
Abbreviated MA
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Mechanical Advantage
(IMA) Ideal MA: This is the MA of a
machine in a world with no friction, and
no force is lost anywhere
(AMA) Actual MA: This is simply the MA
of a machine in the world as we know it
- Force is lost due to friction
- Force is lost due to wind, etc.
Can we have an ideal machine?
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Mechanical Advantage: Lever

The mechanical
advantage of a lever
is the distance from
the effort to the
fulcrum divided by
the distance from the
fulcrum to the load
Distance, effort - fulcrum
MA = Distance, load - fulcrum

For our example,

MA = 10/5 = 2

Distance from effort to fulcrum:

10 feet
Distance from load to fulcrum:
5 feet

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Inclined Planes
A slope or ramp that
goes from a lower to
higher level
Makes work easier by
taking less force to lift
something a certain
distance
Trade off: the distance
the load must be
moved would be
greater than simply
lifting it straight up

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Mechanical Advantage: Inclined Plane

The mechanical
advantage of an
inclined plane is the
length of the slope
divided by the height of
the plane, if effort is
applied parallel to the
slope

Length of Slope
MA =
Height of Plane
So for our plane
MA = 15 feet/3 feet =
5

Lets say S = 15 feet, H =

3 feet

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Wheel and Axle

A larger circular wheel
affixed to a smaller rigid
rod at its center
Used to translate force
across horizontal distances
(wheels on a wagon) or to
make rotations easier (a
doorknob)
Trade off: the wheel must
be rotated through a
greater distance than the
axle

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Mechanical Advantage: Wheel and Axle

The mechanical
advantage of a wheel
and axle system is
the radius of the
wheel divided by the
radius of the axle

Radius of Wheel
MA = Radius of Axle

2"
10"

So for our wheel and

axle MA = 10/2 = 5

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Screw
An inclined
plane wrapped
around a rod or
cylinder
Used to lift
materials or
bind things
together

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Mechanical Advantage: Screw

The Mechanical
advantage of a screw
is the circumference
of the screwdriver
divided by the pitch of
the screw
The pitch of the screw
is the number of
threads per inch
MA =

Diam.=1"

Circumference of Screwdriver
Pitch of Screw

So for our
screwdriver
MA = 3.14/0.1
= 31.4

10 threads
per inch

Circumference = x 1 =
3.14
Pitch = 1/10 = 0.1

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Wedge
An inclined plane on
its side
Used to cut or force
material apart
Often used to split
lumber, hold cars in
place, or hold
materials together
(nails)

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Mechanical Advantage: Wedge

Much like the inclined
plane, the mechanical
advantage of a wedge
is the length of the
slope divided by the
width of the widest
end
MA =

Length of Slope
Thickness of Widest End

So for our wedge,

MA = 6/2 = 3
They are one of the
least efficient simple
machines

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2"
6"

Pulley
A rope or chain free to turn
around a suspended wheel
By pulling down on the
rope, a load can be lifted
with less force
Trade off: no real trade off
here; the secret is that the
pulley lets you work with
gravity so you add the force
of your own weight to the
rope

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Mechanical Advantage: Pulley

The Mechanical
Advantage of a pulley
is equal to the
number of ropes
supporting the pulley
So for the pulley
system shown there
are 3 ropes
supporting the bottom
pulley
MA = 3
This means that if you
pull with a force of 20
pounds you will lift an
object weighing 60
pounds

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The trick is WORK

Simple machines change the amount of
force needed, but they do not change the
amount of work done
What is work?
Work equals force times distance
W=Fxd
By increasing the distance, you can
decrease the force and still do the same
amount of work
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Examples:

Inclined Plane:

Lever:

Work is equal on both sides

of a lever. You move the long
end a LARGE distance with
SMALL force. The other end
moves a SMALL distance
with a LARGE force, which is
why it can lift heavy objects.

It takes a certain amount of

work to get the cabinet into the
truck. You can either exert a
LARGE force to lift it the
SMALL distance into the truck,
or you can exert a SMALL force
to move it a LARGE distance
along the ramp. NSF North Mississi

Efficiency
The efficiency is a ratio that measures how much work
the machine produces versus
how much work goes in
Efficiency =

Work Output
X 100%
Work Input

Efficiency =

Actual MA
Ideal MA

Example: We have an inclined plane

with an ideal MA of 3. We measure
our real-life inclined plane and find
an MA of 2.
Efficiency = Actual MA/Ideal MA x 100%
= (2/3) X 100%
= 66.66%

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Sources
COSI.org. 2006. Simple Machines. Accessed 3 February 2006.
http://www.cosi.org/onlineExhibits/simpMach/sm1.html
Jones, Larry. January 2006. Science by Jones: Levers. Accessed 2
February 2006.
http://www.sciencebyjones.com/secondclasslevers.htm
Mikids.com. 2006. Simple Machines. Accessed 2 February 2006.
http://www.mikids.com/Smachines.htm
Professor Beakers Learning Labs. August 2004. Simple Machines:
inclined planes. Accessed 2 February 2006.
http://www.professorbeaker.com/planefact.html
Wikepedia. Accessed 3 February 2006.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanicaladvantage

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