3.2.18

Machines

Test yourself

Machines

Objects that are used to do something such as levers, pulleys and screws are examples of simple machines. A simple machine will multiply a force, which helps us perform a particular function.

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Simple machines

  • A simple machine makes a job easier for us by reducing the force taken for a job.
  • Examples of simple machines include:
    • Inclined Planes: A ramp makes it easier for us to move objects higher.
    • Wedge: Contains two inclined planes such as the sides of an axe or knife.
    • Screw: a screw, drill or screw top lid. These are inclined planes that have been twisted.
    • Wheel and Axle: This could be a traditional wheel with a small rod through the middle of it.
    • Levers: Use a force to move a load like a door handle, wheelbarrow or light switch.
    • Pulley: A rope around a wheel that will move an object up and down.
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Gears

  • A force multiplier allows us to put a small force in and get a large force out.
  • Gears are an example of a force multiplier.
  • Gears are an example of a simple machine. A gear is two or more toothed wheels that interlock.
  • We use gears on a bike. If you pedal up a mountain, you want a low gear which takes less effort on the first gear.
  • This multiplies the force on the interlocking gear, which is bigger, but will not go as far or fast.
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Levers

  • Levers are simple machines.
  • Each lever is made up of 3 parts: The fulcrum or pivot, the effort (input) and the load (output).
  • There are three classes of lever.
    • Class 1: The fulcrum is placed between the effort and load such as on a seesaw.
  • Other examples of a class 1 lever include: a pair of pliers and a trebuchet.
  • Class 2 levers: The load is between the fulcrum and effort.
  • Examples of class 2 include a nutcracker and wheelbarrow.
  • Class 3 levers: The effort is between the fulcrum and load.
  • Examples include: Staplers and a person fishing or playing tennis.

Jump to other topics

1Biology

1.1Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.1.1Microscopes

1.1.2Magnification

1.1.3Multicellular Organisms

1.1.4Tissues

1.1.5Organs

1.1.6Unicellular Organisms

1.1.7Diffusion

1.1.8Factors Affecting Diffusion

1.1.9Plant Cells

1.1.10Cellulose

1.1.11Plant Tissues

1.1.12Leaves

1.1.13Animal Cells

1.1.14Comparing Animal & Plant Cells

1.1.15How to Make a Model Animal and Plant Cell

1.1.16Specialised Cells

1.1.17Stem Cells

1.1.18Uses of Stem Cells

1.1.19Disadvantages of Stem Cells

1.1.20Blood Components

1.1.21Platelets

1.1.22End of Topic Test - Cells & Organisation

1.1.23The Lungs

1.1.24Breathing

1.1.25Plant Gas Exchange

1.1.26Health

1.1.27End of Topic Test - Living Organisms

1.2Reproduction & Variation

1.2.1Reproduction in Humans

1.2.2Male Reproductive System

1.2.3Female Reproductive System

1.2.4Gestation

1.2.5Pregnancy

1.2.6Puberty

1.2.7The Menstrual Cycle

1.2.8Reproduction in Plants

1.2.9Pollination

1.2.10Dispersal Method

1.2.11Variation

1.2.12Causes of Variation

1.2.13Inheritance

1.2.14Adaptations and Evolution

1.2.15Species & Selective Breeding

1.2.16Genetic Conditions

1.2.17End of Topic Test - Reproduction & Variation

1.3Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.3.1Species Interdependence

1.3.2Food Chains & Webs

1.3.3Changes to Food Webs 1

1.3.4Changes to Food Webs 2

1.3.5Relationships in an Ecosystem

1.3.6The Impact of Environmental Change

1.3.7Decomposers

1.3.8Decay

1.3.9Assessing Ecosystems

1.3.10Ecological Sampling

1.3.11Required Practical - Estimating Population Size

1.3.12Pyramids of Number and Biomass

1.3.13Classification of Living Organisms

1.3.14Competition Between Organisms

1.3.15Adaptations of Plants

1.3.16Natural Selection

1.3.17Evidence for Evolution

1.3.18Environmental Changes & Extinctions

1.3.19The Importance of Biodiversity

1.3.20Bioaccumulation

1.3.21End of Topic Test - Material Cycles & Energy

1.4Digestion & Nutrition

1.4.1Balanced Diets

1.4.2Vitamins & Minerals

1.4.3Protein

1.4.4Lipids, Oils and Fats

1.4.5Carbohydrates

1.4.6Starch

1.4.7Energy Needs

1.4.8Dietary Fibre

1.4.9Diseases Caused by Nutritional Deficiencies

1.4.10Digestion

1.4.11Plant Nutrition

1.4.12Enzymes in Digestion

1.4.13Required Practical - Enzymes in Digestion

1.5Plants & Photosynthesis

1.5.1Roots

1.5.2Photosynthesis

1.5.3Leaves

1.5.4Rate of Photosynthesis

1.5.5Testing the Rate of Photosynthesis

1.5.6Water Transport in Plants

1.5.7Translocation

1.5.8The Carbon Cycle

1.5.9Human Activities & Carbon Dioxide

1.6Biological Systems & Processes

1.6.1Living Organisms

1.6.2Dichotomous Keys

1.6.3Biomechanics

1.6.4Muscles

1.6.5The Skeleton

1.6.6Measuring Forces

1.6.7Antagonistic Muscle Pairings

1.6.8The Respiratory System

1.6.9Structure & Function of the Gas Exchange System

1.6.10Breathing

1.6.11Respiration

1.6.12Respiration During Exercise

1.6.13Anaerobic Respiration

1.6.14Lactic Acid

1.6.15Effects of Smoking on the Respiratory System

1.6.16Balanced Diets

1.6.17Human Growth & Development

1.6.18DNA

1.6.19Alleles

1.6.20Genotype vs Phenotype

1.6.21Punnett Squares

1.6.22Joints

1.6.23The Renal System

1.6.24The Double Circulatory System

1.6.25Heart and Blood

1.6.26Blood Vessels

1.6.27Glucose

1.6.28Glucose and Diabetes

1.6.29The Effects of Recreational Drug Use

1.6.30Human Illnesses

1.6.31Antibiotics

1.6.32Vaccinations

1.6.33How Antibiotics and Vaccines Work

1.6.34Mental Health

2Chemistry

2.1Particles

2.1.1Particles

2.1.2States of Matter

2.1.3Changes of State

2.1.4Properties of States of Matter

2.1.5Diffusion

2.1.6Changing State

2.1.7Pressure

2.1.8Temperature Increase in a Gas

2.1.9Conservation of Mass

2.1.10Purity of Substances

2.1.11Pure Substances

2.1.12Evaporation

2.1.13Mixtures

2.1.14Separating Mixtures

2.1.15Distillation

2.1.16Chromatography

2.1.17Solubility

2.1.18Investigating Solubility

2.2Chemical Reactions

2.2.1Chemical Reactions

2.2.2Common Reactions

2.2.3Acids & Alkalis

2.2.4Reactions of Acids

2.2.5Testing for Hydrogen

2.2.6The pH Scale

2.2.7Titration

2.2.8End of Topic Test - Chemical Reactions

2.3Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.3.1Atoms

2.3.2Elements

2.3.3Compounds & Mixtures

2.3.4Electron Configuration

2.3.5Chemical Symbols

2.3.6Chemical Formulae

2.3.7Conservation of Mass

2.3.8Vacuums

2.3.9Molecules

2.3.10End of Topic Test - Particles & Atoms

2.4The Periodic Table

2.4.1Physical Properties

2.4.2Chemical Properties

2.4.3The Periodic Table

2.4.4Metals

2.4.5Non-Metals

2.4.6Alkali Metals

2.4.7Halogens

2.4.8Oxides

2.4.9End of Topic Test - The Periodic Table

2.5Materials & the Earth

2.5.1The Composition of The Earth

2.5.2The Structure of the Earth

2.5.3Igneous Rocks

2.5.4Sedimentary Rocks

2.5.5Metamorphic Rocks

2.5.6The Rock Cycle

2.5.7Physical Weathering

2.5.8Chemical Weathering

2.5.9Biological Weathering

2.5.10The Formation of Fossils

2.5.11Crude Oil

2.5.12End of Topic Test - Earth

2.5.13The Earth's Early Atmosphere

2.5.14The Earth's Atmosphere Today

2.5.15Oxygen in the Atmosphere

2.5.16Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere

2.5.17Greenhouse Gases

2.5.18Climate Change

2.5.19Resources

2.5.20Recycling

2.5.21Ceramics

2.5.22Polymers

2.5.23Composites

2.5.24End of Topic Test - Materials

2.5.25End of Topic Test - Polymers

2.6Reactivity

2.6.1Ions

2.6.2Ionic Bonding

2.6.3State Symbols

2.6.4Balancing Chemical Equations

2.6.5Relative Formula Mass

2.6.6Calculating the Relative Formula Mass

2.6.7The Reactivity Series

2.6.8Carbon & The Reactivity Series

2.6.9Displacement Reactions

2.6.10Displacement Reactions - Halogens

2.6.11Alloys

2.6.12Metal Alloys

2.7Energetics

2.7.1Measuring Gas Production

2.7.2Observing a Colour Change

2.7.3Analysing Reaction Rates

2.7.4Factors Affecting the Rate of Reaction

2.7.5Catalysts

2.7.6Testing for Oxygen

2.7.7Energy Changes During Reactions

2.8Properties of Materials

2.8.1Testing for Gases

2.8.2Alloys

2.8.3Density

2.8.4Density of Solids, Liquids & Gases HyperLearning

3Physics

3.1Energy

3.1.1Energy Stores & Pathways

3.1.2Energy Transfers

3.1.3Common Energy Transfers

3.1.4Wasted Energy

3.1.5Efficiency of Energy Transfer

3.1.6Sankey Diagrams

3.1.7Heat & Temperature

3.1.8Heat Transfer

3.1.9Conductors vs Insulators

3.1.10Reducing Energy Transfers

3.1.11Energy & Power

3.1.12Energy in Food

3.1.13Calories

3.1.14Food Labels

3.1.15Energy at Home

3.1.16Fuel Bills

3.1.17Calculating Fuel Bills

3.1.18Non-Renewable Energy - Fossil Fuels

3.1.19Other Non-Renewables

3.1.20Renewable Energy - Air & Ground

3.1.21Renewable Energy - Water

3.1.22End of Topic Test - Energy

3.2Forces & Motion

3.2.1Forces

3.2.2Contact Forces

3.2.3Balanced Forces

3.2.4Force Diagrams & Resultant Forces

3.2.5Free Body Diagram - Uses

3.2.6Force & Acceleration

3.2.7Gravity

3.2.8Weight

3.2.9Pressure

3.2.10Speed

3.2.11Relative Motion

3.2.12Friction

3.2.13Water & Air Resistance

3.2.14Distance-Time Graphs

3.2.15Moments

3.2.16Levers

3.2.17Work

3.2.18Machines

3.2.19Work & Machines

3.2.20Elasticity

3.2.21Elasticity - Hooke's Law

3.2.22Density

3.2.23Floating & Sinking

3.2.24End of Topic Test - Forces & Motion

3.2.25Vacuums

3.2.26Thermal Energy & Conduction

3.2.27Convection & Radiation

3.2.28Evaporation

3.3Waves

3.3.1Waves

3.3.2Types of Waves

3.3.3Observing Waves

3.3.4Wave Speed

3.3.5Earthquakes

3.3.6Sound Waves

3.3.7Uses of Sound Waves

3.3.8The Interactions of Sound with Different Mediums

3.3.9Reflecting Sounds

3.3.10The Speed of Sound

3.3.11Measuring the Speed of Sound

3.3.12The Hearing Range of Humans

3.3.13The Human Ear

3.3.14Light Waves

3.3.15Reflection

3.3.16Drawing a Reflected Image

3.3.17Refraction

3.3.18The Human Eye

3.3.19The Eye as a Pinhole Camera

3.3.20Lenses

3.3.21Colour

3.3.22Seeing Colour

3.3.23Colours of Light

3.3.24Drawing Waves

3.3.25Wave Interactions

3.3.26Comparing Sound & Light

3.3.27End of Topic Test - Waves

3.3.28End of Topic Test - Sound

3.4Electricity & Magnetism

3.4.1Circuit Symbols

3.4.2Resistors & Diodes

3.4.3Electric Current

3.4.4Measuring Current

3.4.5Potential Difference

3.4.6Series Circuits

3.4.7Parallel Circuits

3.4.8Resistance

3.4.9Charges

3.4.10Static Electricity

3.4.11Magnets

3.4.12Magnetic Fields

3.4.13The Earth's Field

3.4.14Electromagnetism

3.4.15Uses of Electromagnets

3.4.16Strength of Magnetic Fields

3.4.17Circuit Symbols HyperLearning

3.5Matter

3.5.1Physical Reactions

3.5.2Changes of State

3.5.3Particles

3.5.4Density

3.5.5Density & the Particle Model

3.5.6The Equation for Density

3.5.7Dissolving

3.5.8Brownian Motion

3.5.9Diffusion

3.5.10Filtration

3.5.11Solids

3.5.12Liquids

3.5.13Gases

3.5.14Weight & Mass

3.5.15Gravity

3.5.16Gravitational Field Strength

3.5.17Gravity in Space

3.5.18Atmospheric Pressure

3.5.19Liquid Pressure

3.5.20End of Topic Test - Matter

3.6Space Physics

3.6.1The Sun

3.6.2The Planets

3.6.3Other Astronomical Bodies

3.6.4The Milky Way

3.6.5Beyond The Milky Way

3.6.6The Seasons

3.6.7Days, Months & Years

3.6.8The Moon

3.6.9Light Years

3.6.10End of Topic Test - Space

4Thinking Scientifically

4.1Models & Representations

4.1.1Strengths & Limitations of Models

4.1.2Symbols & Formulae to Represent Scientific Ideas

4.1.3Analogies in Science

4.1.4Changing Models – Atomic Theory

4.1.5Working Safely in the Lab

4.1.6Variables

4.1.7Writing a Hypothesis & Prediction

4.1.8Planning an Experiment

4.1.9Maths Skills for Science

4.1.10Drawing Scientific Apparatus

4.1.11Observation & Measurement Skills

4.1.12Types of Data

4.1.13Graphs & Charts

4.1.14Bias in Science

4.1.15Conclude & Evaluate

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Work

Work & Machines