Mechanical System
Resume:
Investigation – VEX
Introduction
Greek mathematician, physicist, astronomer, and engineer Archimedes boasted, “Give me a place to
stand, and with a lever I will move the whole world.” Archimedes never moved the world, but he did
change the world through the development of simple machine mechanisms.
In this activity you will explore the function and characteristics of the lever, wheel and axle, and pulley
systems. You will see firsthand how simple machines manipulate energy to create a desired output.
Equipment
• POE VEX kit components
• Rulers and/or tape measures
• String – Masonry line
• Vernier Interface
• Vernier Dual-Range Force Sensor
• Vernier LoggerPro software
Procedure
For this activity your team of four will construct simple machines using VEX components. After you have
constructed the simple machines, you will gather data to calculate mechanical advantage. It is important
to be as accurate as possible in your measurements and documentation.
Terms to know to complete this activity:
The Effort (FE) is the force that you apply to the system.
The Resistance (FR) is the force or load that you are manipulating.
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Part 1 – Lever, Wheel and Axle, and Pulley
First Class Lever
1. Create a scaled annotated drawing of the first class lever.
2. Calculate the ideal mechanical advantage of the lever system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
3. 6. 7.
4.
5.
8. Calculate the ideal effort force needed to overcome the known resistance force.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
9. 12. 13.
10.
11.
14. Calculate the actual mechanical advantage of the lever system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
15. 18. 19.
16.
17.
20. Calculate the efficiency of the lever system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
21. 24. 25.
22.
23.
26. List and describe two examples of a first class lever.
Second Class Lever
27. Create a scaled annotated drawing of the second class lever.
28. Calculate the ideal mechanical advantage of the lever system.
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Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
29. 32. 33.
30.
31.
34. Calculate the ideal effort force needed to overcome the known resistance force.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
35. 38. 39.
36.
37.
40.
41. Calculate the actual mechanical advantage of the lever system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
42. 45. 46.
43.
44.
47. Calculate the efficiency of the lever system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
48. 51. 52.
49.
50.
53. List and describe two examples of a second class lever.
.
Third Class Lever
54. Create a scaled annotated drawing of the third class lever.
55.
56. Calculate the ideal mechanical advantage of the lever system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
57. 60. 61.
58.
59.
62. Calculate the ideal effort force needed to overcome the known resistance force.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
63. 66. 67.
64.
65.
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68.
69. Calculate the actual mechanical advantage of the lever system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
70. 73. 74.
71.
72.
75. Calculate the efficiency of the lever system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
76. 79. 80.
77.
78.
81. List and describe two examples of a third class lever.
82. Is it possible for a first or second class lever to have a mechanical advantage less
than one, or for a third class lever to have a mechanical advantage greater than
one? Justify your answer.
83. When you were solving for mechanical advantage, what units did the final answer
require? Explain why.
Wheel and Axle
84. What is the diameter of the wheel?
85. What is the diameter of the axle?
86. Attach the resistance weight to the string attached to the axle. Use your fingers to
turn the wheel. Based on where the applied effort and resistance are located,
identify the distance traveled by both forces during one full rotation.
DE =
DR =
87. Remove the resistance weight from the axle string and attach the weight to the
wheel. Use your fingers to turn the axle. Based on where the applied effort and
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resistance are located, identify the distance traveled by both forces during one full
rotation.
DE =
DR =
88. Wrap the resistance weight around the axle using string. Use the force sensor
attached to the string wrapped around the wheel to create equilibrium. Based on
where the applied effort and resistance are located, identify the force required to
hold the system in equilibrium.
FE =
FR =
89. Wrap the weight around the wheel using string. Use the force sensor attached to
string on the axle to create equilibrium. Based on where the applied effort and
resistance are located, identify the force required to hold the system in equilibrium.
FE =
FR =
90. For the same resistance, is the effort force larger when the effort is applied to the
wheel or when it is applied to the axle? Explain why.
91. Create a scaled annotated drawing of the wheel and axle system.
92.
93.
94.
95. Calculate the ideal mechanical advantage of the wheel and axle system if the
resistance force is applied to the axle.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
96. 99. 100.
97.
98.
101. Calculate the ideal mechanical advantage of the wheel and axle system if the
resistance force is applied to the wheel.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
102. 105. 106.
103.
104.
107. Calculate the ideal effort force needed to overcome the known resistance force if
the resistance force is applied to the wheel.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
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108. 111. 112.
109.
110.
113. Calculate the actual mechanical advantage of your wheel and axle system if the
resistance force is applied to the wheel.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
115. 116.
114.
117. Calculate the efficiency of the wheel and axle system when the resistance force
is applied to the wheel.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
119. 120.
118.
121.
122. List and describe two examples of a wheel and axle.
123. If you know the dimensions of a wheel and axle system used for an automobile,
how can you determine the distance covered for each axle revolution? Explain any
additional information and necessary formulas.
124.
125.
126. Why is the steering wheel on a school bus so large?
Fixed Pulley
127. Create a scaled annotated drawing of the fixed pulley system.
128.
129. Calculate the ideal mechanical advantage of the fixed pulley system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
130. 133. 134.
131.
132.
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135. Calculate the actual mechanical advantage of the fixed pulley system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
136. 139. 140.
137.
138.
141. Calculate the efficiency of the fixed pulley system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
142. 144. 145.
143.
Movable Pulley
146. Create a scaled annotated drawing of the pulley system.
147.
148. Calculate the actual mechanical advantage of the pulley system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
150. 151.
149.
152. Calculate the ideal mechanical advantage of the pulley system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
153. 156. 157.
154.
155.
158.
159. Calculate the efficiency of the fixed pulley system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
160. 163. 164.
161.
162.
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Block and Tackle
165. Create a scaled annotated drawing of the pulley system.
166.
167. Calculate the actual mechanical advantage of the pulley system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
169. 170.
168.
171. Calculate the ideal mechanical advantage of the pulley system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
172. 175. 176.
173.
174.
177. Calculate the efficiency of the fixed pulley system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
179. 180.
178.
181. Describe two examples of a pulley system.
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182. The fixed pulley contained two strands. Explain the role of each strand.
183. The movable pulley contained two strands. Explain the role of each strand.
184. In the block and tackle system, explain how mechanical advantage relates to the
number of strands.
185. In a block and tackle system with a mechanical advantage of 3, the effort is
measured at 15 lbf. The resistance, when balanced, is measured at 42 lbf. What
factors might account for the loss in energy?
Part 2 – Inclined Plane and Screw
Inclined Plane
186. Create a scaled annotated drawing of the inclined plane system.
187.
188. Calculate the ideal mechanical advantage of the inclined plane system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
189. 192. 193.
190.
191.
194. Calculate the ideal effort force needed to overcome the known resistance force.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
195. 198. 199.
196.
197.
200. Calculate the actual mechanical advantage of the inclined plane system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
201. 204. 205.
202.
203.
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206. Calculate the efficiency of the inclined plane system.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
207. 210. 211.
208.
209.
212.
213. List and describe two examples of an inclined plane.
Screw
214. Create a scaled annotated drawing of the screw system.
215.
216.
217.
218. Calculate the ideal mechanical advantage of the screw.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
219. 222. 223.
220.
221.
224. Calculate the ideal effort force needed to overcome the known resistance force.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
225. 228. 229.
226.
227.
230. Calculate the actual mechanical advantage of the screw.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
231. 234. 235.
232.
233.
236. Calculate the efficiency of the screw.
Formula Substitute / Solve Final Answer
237. 240. 241.
238.
239.
242.
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243. Describe two examples of a screw.
244. Why do you think overcoming a resistance force using a screw is so easy?
245. The screw is a combination of two simple machines. Identify and defend what
two simple machines you believe are combined to create a screw.
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