The Machines
Wheel & Axle
The wheel and axle is probably one of the most revered and widely used simple machine. This ancient innovation consists of a circular object, the wheel, which is allowed to freely rotate around a cylinder- the axle. A diagram of the wheel and axle is shown below.
A Wheel and Axle.
Drawing Analysis:
- Blue Cylinder: This is the axle. The axle functions to allow the wheel to rotate freely, or it can be used to turn the wheel in the case of some machines.
- Yellow Triangle This represents the wheel.
The wheel and axle functions not to give the user a mechanical advantage, but to decrease the force of friction on an object. The force of friction on a particular object depends on the surface that the object must move on. If you decrease the amount of an object in contact with that surface, you decrease the amount of friction on that object.
Simply put, a wheel makes it easier to move an object. Can't move that heavy 'fridge across the room? Put it on wheels and it will glide across any surface. Wheels are also an effective propulsion method on land. Your car has four wheels that are driven by a motor that help you roll your way to your destination. The wheel is an all-important method of moving objects.
There is no problem associated with this machine.
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