The wheel and axle is a type of simple machine which consists of a wheel connected to a smaller axle. These two sections rotate adjacently through which a force is transmitted from one to the other. It can be viewed as a type of lever with a propelling force exerted tangentially to the wheel’s parameter, and a load force exerted to the attached axle, respectively, that is counteracted around the joint, which is the fulcrum of this simple machine. In other words, the wheel and axle are fundamental machine components for boosting the force. During ancient times, it was widely used for lifting weights or water containers from wells and other water sources. The principle of working is demonstrated by the small and the large gears fixed to the same shaft. The force exerted at the radius on the large gear to rotate the shaft is enough to counteract the larger force at the radius on the small gear. The mechanical advantage, or force amplification, is equivalent to the ratio of the above two forces. It is also the ratio of the radii of the two gears.

Important Wheel and Axle Questions with Answers

1) Define the wheel and axle.

The wheel and axle is a type of simple machine comprising a wheel fixed to an axle so that these two parts move in conjunction and a mechanical force is transmitted from one section to the other.

2) Describe the functioning of a wheel and axle.

The wheel and axle function either by turning the wheel around an axle or fulcrum to displace objects horizontally or by draping a cable around a wheel to lift bodies.

3) What is the main use of the wheel and axle?

The wheel and axle make it easier to displace loads or objects along the ground without having to drag them explicitly. One version of the wheel and axle moves things in the same direction as the wheels are in motion, like wheelchairs or roller skates. The other form of the wheel and axle is stationary and functions like a lever (e.g., doorknob).

4) How do the wheel and axle act as speed multipliers?

Large forces exerted on the axle propel the wheel to move rapidly, forcing an automobile to propel faster. In this scenario, the wheel and axle act as speed multipliers.

5) How do the wheel and axle act as force multipliers?

Exerting minor forces to the wheel, so that it moves a longer distance, produces a larger force in the axle, and so, it rotates a smaller distance. Here, the wheel and axle is a force multiplier ( (e.g., windmill).

6) Explain the mechanical advantage.

Mechanical advantage is the measure of the amplification of the force attained by using a mechanical system or a tool. Such machines trade-off input physical forces over the movement to get a desired boost in the output force. The relevant model for this process is the law of the lever. Machine parts designed to regulate movement and forces in this manner are known as mechanisms. A perfect mechanism transfers power without subtracting it or adding to it. This implies that the ideal machines do not have a power source, are made from rigid objects that do not wear or deflect and are frictionless. The functioning of a real mechanical system relative to this perfect version is denoted in terms of efficiency constraints.

7) What is a simple machine?

A simple machine is any type of device with some or no moving components that are used to adjust motion and the force’s magnitude in order to do work. They are the most basic mechanisms known that can employ a mechanical advantage or leverage to amplify force.

8) Explain the fundamental mechanism of simple machines.

A simple machine utilises a single force to perform work against a single load force. By discarding the frictional force, the work performed on the load is equivalent to the work performed by the exerted force. The machine can magnify the output force at the expense of a proportional reduction in the distance displaced by the load. The ratio of the output force to the exerted force is known as the mechanical advantage.

9) What is an ideal simple machine?

An ideal simple machine does not release energy through deformation, wear, or friction; in other words, energy is always conserved within such a system. Here, the power output from the machine is equal to the power input into the machine. The mechanical advantage can be measured from its geometrical proportions.

10) What are the main types of simple machines?

The main simple machines are the wheel and axle, lever, pulley, screw, wedge, and inclined plane.

11) Which is the earliest known depiction of a wheeled vehicle (wheel and axle)?

The Halaf civilisation of 6500–5100 BCE has been considered the culture with the oldest depiction of a wheeled machine, but this is quite doubtful as there is no proof of Halafians utilising either pottery wheels or other wheeled tools.

12) Give one of the earliest applications of the wheel.

One of the earliest applications of the wheel to exist was the potter’s wheel, employed by prehistoric civilisation to create clay pots. The earliest version, called slow wheels, was common in the Middle East starting from the 5th millennium BCE.

13) Give some real-life examples of the wheel and axle.

The most common uses of wheel and axle include lifting heavy things, transporting people quickly, etc.

Some common real-life examples of the wheel and axle are bicycle, skateboard, analogue clock, doorknob, screwdriver, Ferris wheel, windmill, drill, pizza cutter, water wheel, etc.

Practice Questions

1) What is a screw?

2) What is a pulley?

3) What is the difference between a wheel and axle, and a lever?

4) Which are the most commonly used simple machines in daily life?

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