Simple Machines Learning Hub

🎮 Interactive Games

🎯 Machine Matcher

Match each simple machine with its correct example!

⚖️

Lever

🎡

Wheel & Axle

🏗️

Pulley

🔨

Hammer

🚗

Car Wheel

🏋️

Flag Pole

🧮 Force Calculator Challenge

Calculate the mechanical advantage and solve the problems!

A lever has an effort arm of 6m and a load arm of 2m. What is its mechanical advantage?

Score: 0/1

🔧 Build Your Machine

Drag and drop parts to build different simple machines!

Parts Toolbox:

📐 Fulcrum

📏 Beam

⭕ Wheel

🪢 Rope

Build Area:

Drag parts here to build your machine!

📚 Concept Notes

🔧 What are Simple Machines?

Definition: Simple machines are basic mechanical devices that make work easier by changing the direction or magnitude of force.

Purpose: They help us lift heavy objects, move things faster, or apply force more effectively.

Key Formula:

Mechanical Advantage = Output Force ÷ Input Force

⚖️ Types of Simple Machines

⚖️

Lever

A rigid bar that pivots on a fulcrum

🎡

Wheel & Axle

A wheel attached to a smaller axle

🏗️

Pulley

A wheel with a rope or chain

🔺

Inclined Plane

A sloping surface or ramp

🔩

Screw

An inclined plane wrapped around a cylinder

🪓

Wedge

Two inclined planes joined together

🏠 Real-Life Examples

🏠 At Home:

Scissors (lever)
Door knob (wheel & axle)
Stairs (inclined plane)
Knife (wedge)

🏗️ Construction:

Crowbar (lever)
Crane (pulley)
Ramp (inclined plane)
Bolt (screw)

💡 Key Concepts

Mechanical Advantage:

How much a machine multiplies force

Effort Force:

The force you apply to the machine

Load Force:

The force the machine applies to the object

Fulcrum:

The pivot point of a lever

🃏 Interactive Flashcards

Click on cards to flip them and test your knowledge!

⚖️

What is a Lever?

A rigid bar that pivots around a fixed point called a fulcrum to lift or move loads.

🎡

Wheel & Axle

A wheel connected to a smaller axle. Force applied to the wheel creates greater force at the axle.

🏗️

Pulley System

A wheel with a rope or chain that changes the direction of force to lift heavy objects.

🔺

Inclined Plane

A sloping surface that reduces the force needed to move objects to a higher level.

🪓

Wedge

Two inclined planes joined together, used to split, cut, or hold objects apart.

🔩

Screw

An inclined plane wrapped around a cylinder, used to hold objects together or lift materials.

⚡ Interactive Activities

🔬 Virtual Simple Machines Lab

Experiment with different lever configurations!

Controls:

Effort Arm Length: 6m

Load Arm Length: 2m

Applied Force: 50N

Mechanical Advantage: 3.0

Output Force: 150N

Efficiency: High

🔍 Machine Detective

Look at everyday objects and identify the simple machines in them!

✂️

Scissors

Click to analyze

🚲

Bicycle

Click to analyze

🪜

Stairs

Click to analyze

Analysis Results

Click on an object to see what simple machines it contains!

📝 Bloom's Taxonomy Worksheets

📋 Worksheet 1: Foundation Knowledge

Levels: Remember & Understand

1. Multiple Choice (Remember)

Which of the following is NOT a simple machine?

A) Lever B) Computer C) Pulley D) Wedge

2. Fill in the Blanks (Remember)

Complete the sentences:

A _______ is the pivot point of a lever.

The six types of simple machines are: lever, wheel & axle, pulley, inclined plane, wedge, and _______.

3. Explain (Understand)

In your own words, explain what mechanical advantage means:

4. Classify (Understand)

Group these items by the type of simple machine they represent:

Items:

Hammer, Bicycle wheel, Flag pole, Ramp, Knife, Bolt

Categories:

Lever: ___________

Wheel & Axle: ___________

Pulley: ___________

Inclined Plane: ___________

Wedge: ___________

Screw: ___________

📋 Worksheet 2: Higher-Order Thinking

Levels: Apply, Analyze, Evaluate & Create

1. Apply (Calculate)

A lever has an effort arm of 8 meters and a load arm of 2 meters. If you apply a force of 25N, what is the output force?

Show your work:

Final Answer:

2. Analyze (Compare & Contrast)

Compare a fixed pulley and a movable pulley. Fill in the table:

Aspect	Fixed Pulley	Movable Pulley
Mechanical Advantage
Changes Direction?
Best Use

3. Evaluate (Judge & Justify)

A construction company needs to move heavy materials to the 3rd floor of a building. They're considering three options:

Option A: Carry materials up stairs (inclined plane)
Option B: Use a crane with pulleys
Option C: Build a ramp (longer inclined plane)

Which option would you recommend and why? Consider efficiency, cost, and safety:

4. Create (Design Challenge)

Design a compound machine (using at least 3 simple machines) to help elderly people reach items on high shelves safely. Draw and label your design:

Design Space:

Draw your design here

Design Description:

Materials Needed: