Chapter 4 Notes

Section 4.1 Forces and Machines

Question: How do we move something that is too heavy to carry?

Answer: Via a simple machine

I. Mechanical Systems and machines

Question: What is a machine?

Answer:
A machine is a device with moving parts
that work together
to accomplish a task

Ex. A bicycle is a good example of a machine

A bicycle easily converts forces from your muscles into motion

A. A machine is designed to do something useful, you can think of it as having both input and output

- Input includes everything you do to make the machine work

- Output is what the machine does for you, like going fast on a bike

A. Question: What is a simple machine?

Answer:
- A simple machine is an unpowered mechanical device, such as a lever.

- Simple machines work by manipulating forces!

EX. A lever allows you to lift an object many time heavier than you do

- Other examples of simple machines include:

1. Block and Tackle Video: The Six Simple Machines

2. Wheel and Axel
3. Gears
4. Ramp
5. Lever
6. Screw
Input and Output Forces

Lever
- when thinking about input and output force in terms of a lever the input forces is the force that
you apply and the output force is the force the lever applies to the object in which you are trying
to move

Block and Tackle

- the input force is the force you apply to the rope and output force is what gets applied to the load
in which you are trying to lift

II. Mechanical Advantage

1. Simple machines work by changing force and motion.

Remember!!!

A force is an action that ha the ability to change motion, like push or pull

Recall the 2 units for measuring force Pounds and Newtons

4.48 Newtons = 1 pound

A person weighing 100 pounds weighs 448 newtons

2. Mechanical Advantage is the ratio of output force to input force

a. If mechanical advantage is bigger than 1, the output force is bigger that the input force

b. A mechanical advantage smaller than 1, means output force is smaller than the input force.

Video: Calculating the Mechanical Advantage of a Pulley

Picture of mechanical advantage

Video: Simple Machines and the Greeks

Video: Simple Machines Used to Build the Parthenon

Video: Simple Machines Used to Build the Great Pyramids in Egypt

IV. How a block and tackle works
A. The forces in ropes and strings Video: The Pulley
1. Ropes and strings carry tension forces along their length
2. Tension Force is a pulling force that always acts along the direction of the rope
3. (try and push a rope) ropes only carry pulling forces

B. All parts of the rope/string have the same force if friction is very small

C. The forces in a block and tackle (See Diagram below)

1. Diagram shows 3 different scenarios and notice the different number of ropes attached to the
load
2. Think about input and output force, and remember with little friction force appears everywhere
in the rope
3. Therefore the load in (A) feels 2 upward forces equal to your pulling force
4. (B) Feels 3 times your pulling force
5. (C) Feels 4 times your pulling force

Mechanical Advantage- if 4 ropes support a load, each Newton of input force = 4 newtons of output force

Multiplying force with the block and tackle:

If the mechanical advantage is 4, the input force for machine C is ¼ the output force

If you need an output force of 20 Newtons you only need 5 Newtons of input force!!!!

5Newtons divided by 20 Newtons = ¼th or 25%

Section 4.2 The Lever
Question: What is a Lever? Picture of levers
Answer:
A simple machine used before humans had written language
Video: How a Lever Works
Examples of Levers include: a pair of pliers, a wheelbarrow, and human biceps and forearms
Your bones and muscles act as levers

A. Parts of Lever
1. A lever is a stiff structure that rotates around a fixed point called a Fulcrum
2. Where force is applied is called the input arm or effort arm
3. The Output arm or resistance arm is the end that moves the object

Remember F-R-E
1-2-3 FRE equals 123

There are 3 classes of levers: Video: Three Classes of Levers

1. st
If the Fulcrum is in the middle of a lever it is a 1 class lever
2. If the Resistance is in the middle of the lever it is 2nd class lever
3. If the Effort is in the middle of the lever it is a 3rd class lever or stupid lever

Examples of Each:
II. The mechanical advantage of a lever

A. Input and Output forces for a lever

1. Input and Output Forces are related by the lengths on either side of the fulcrum

2. When the input arm is longer, the output force is larger than the input force

3. If the input are is 20 times longer than the output arm than the force produced by the output arm
will be 20 times greater!!!!!!

B. The mechanical advantage of a lever

1. If the input or effort arm is 5 meters and the output arm is 1 meter
the mechanical advantage is 5. The output force is 5 times
as large as the input force

Mechanical Advantage = (Length of the Input Arm)

(Length of the Output Arm)

Video: Calculating the Mechanical Advantage of a Lever

Video: Simple Machines and the Egyptians