This was a Project I worked on. I did the original Programming.
3rd Class Lever
The 3rd class lever that I found was a stapler.
The formula for a lever is
You apply the force three inches from the fulcrum and the force is applied to the staple five inches from the fulcrum, so the Ideal Mechanical Advantage is
So for every pound of force I put on the lever, the lever applies .6 lb. It also means that for every inch I push down, the staple is pushed inches. So I am sacrificing force in order to staple faster.
1st Class Lever
The 1st class lever that I found was a pair of scissors.
The formula for a first class lever is
You apply the force about three inches from the fulcrum and cut about one inch from the fulcrum, so the Ideal Mechanical Advantage is
This means that for every pound of force I apply to the handle, the scissors cut with three pounds of force, not including the wedge.
Compound Machine Part IV – Compound IMA
The wedge has an IMA of , the wheel and axle has an IMA of , and the lever has an IMA of
The equation for compound IMA is
So the IMA of the initial punch into the can is
The IMA of of when you turn the crank to cut is
So for every one pound of force you put in to the can opener you actually put out either twenty four and a half or twenty six and a half pounds of force.
Compound Machine Part III – 2nd Class Lever
The third part of the compound machine was a second class lever.
The formula for a lever is
The handle of the can opener is 8 in. long but you apply the force five inches down the handle. So the Ideal Mechanical Advantage of this lever is
This means that for every pound of force I apply to the handle, the lever pushes down with about seven pounds of pressure.
Compound Machine Part II – Wheel and Axle
The second part of the compound machine is a wheel and axle.
The equation for a wheel and axle is
So the Ideal Mechanical Axle is
So for every 1 pound of force I put in, i get 4 and a half pounds out.
Compound Machine Part I – Wedge
The compound machine that I found was a can opener. It contains a wedge, a wheel and axle, & a second class lever. The wedge is the blade of the can opener.
The equation for a wedge is
So the Ideal Mechanical Advantage of the wedge is
This means that for every pound of force I put in, the wedge exerts lb.
Inclined Plane
The Inclined Plane that I found in my house was the stairs
The equation for an Inclined Plane is
So the Ideal Mechanical Advantage of the stairway is
I weigh approximately one hundred and fifty pounds, so instead of lifting all 150 lb. of my body weight straight up, I lift about 92 lb. along the slope.
Screw
The screw that I found in my house was the fan in my room.
The equation for a screw is
So the Ideal Mechanical Advantage of my fan is
This means that for each inch the input shaft turns, the blade will push the air down about three inches. This is how the fan is able to propel the air down at a greater linear velocity than the fan’s.
Simple Machines Scavenger Hunt
For this project I need to:
- Take a picture of 7 different simple machines
- For each simple machine:
- Sketch an annotated, scale drawing of the simple machine (for this I will be using Autodesk Inventor)
- Calculate the Ideal Mechanical Advantage (IMA) of the simple machine
- Clearly explain how each simple machine makes my life easier using specific examples and simple language
I will be assessed on
- How Creative or Unique my Simple Machines are
- Accuracy and Detail of Annotated Sketches
- Accuracy and Detail of Calculations
- Creativity and Professionalism of Final Project
- How Impactful my Explanations and Findings Are
- Bonus Points for Having a Theme
My theme is things around my house.
Here are the simple machines that I found:
Compound Machine Part I – Wedge
Compound Machine Part II – Wheel and Axle
Compound Machine Part III – 2nd Class Lever