FREE K-12 standards-aligned STEM
curriculum for educators everywhere!
Find more at TeachEngineering.org .
- TeachEngineering
- Simple Machines
Unit Simple Machines
Engineering Connection
The fundamental mechanical devices that have come to be known as "simple machines" through the years are basic human inventions that help accomplish physical tasks through mechanical advantage. The same simple machines used by ancient engineers to build pyramids are employed by today's engineers to construct modern structures such as houses, bridges, roller coasters and skyscrapers. From everyday hand tools (crowbars, nails, wheels, ramps) to intricate "compound machines" that marry together many simple machines in endless combinations (pencil sharpeners, bicycles, elevators, medical devices, airplanes), engineers of all types continually work together to design better and more creative tools, devices, equipment and products of modern convenience that help people do more with less, incorporating the principles of simple machines.
Unit Overview
Overview of topics by lesson: 1) work [as defined by physical science] and the mechanical advantages of six simple machines that make work easier, 2) more about the inclined plane, wedge and screw, including each machine's mechanical advantages and work = force x distance, 3) more about the lever, pulley, and wheel-and-axle, 4) introduction to compound machines including an examination of machine inventions and their place in our everyday lives, and 5) introduction to Rube Goldberg contraptions, known for making simple tasks more difficult to complete, as a way to engage students in critical thinking to evaluate everyday machines.
Educational Standards Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards. All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN) , a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org). In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g. , by state; within source by type; e.g. , science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc .
See individual lessons and activities for standards alignment.
Unit Schedule
- Day 1: The Advantage of Machines lesson and A Simple Solution for the Circus activity
- Day 2: Just Plane Simple lesson
- Day 3: Tools and Equipment, Part I activity
- Day 4: Levers That Lift lesson
- Day 5: Machines and Tools, Part II activity
- Day 6: Not So Simple lesson
- Day 7: The Magician's Catapult activity
- Day 8: Rube Goldberg and the Meaning of Machines lesson and Design and Build a Rube Goldberg activity (first 25 minutes)
- Day 9: Design and Build a Rube Goldberg activity
More Curriculum Like This
Students are introduced to the six types of simple machines — the wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, screw, and pulley — in the context of the construction of a pyramid, gaining high-level insights into tools that have been used since ancient times and are still in use today.
Refreshed with an understanding of the six simple machines; screw, wedge, pully, incline plane, wheel and axle, and lever, student groups receive materials and an allotted amount of time to act as mechanical engineers to design and create machines that can complete specified tasks.
Students expand upon their understanding of simple machines with an introduction to compound machines. This lesson encourages students to critically think about machine inventions and their role in our lives.
Students apply the mechanical advantages and problem-solving capabilities of six types of simple machines (wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, screw, pulley) as they discuss modern structures in the spirit of the engineers and builders of the great pyramids.
Contributors
Supporting program, acknowledgements.
This digital library content was developed by the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program under National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. 0338326. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
Last modified: April 10, 2020
User Comments & Tips
Browse Course Material
Course info, instructors.
- Prof. Joseph Smith
- Prof. Martin Culpepper
Departments
- Mechanical Engineering
As Taught In
- Mechanical Design
Learning Resource Types
How and why machines work, lecture notes.
You are leaving MIT OpenCourseWare
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Calculate the efficiency for each machine, then answer the question. Machine A has an input work of 1,000 J and an output work of 250 J. Machine B has an input work of 500 J and an output work of 350 J. Machine C has an input work of 200 J and an output work of 150 J.
Review the six types of simple machines and what types of mechanical advantage do they provide (inclined plane, screw, pulley, wheel and axle, wedge, and lever). Also talk about gears (sometimes considered a simple machine or a “specialized” wheel with levers). See handout. 2. Discuss how the machine converts energy, though mechanical means ...
Through a five-lesson series with five activities, students are introduced to six simple machines—inclined plane, wedge, screw, lever, pulley, wheel-and-axle—as well as compound machines, which are combinations of two or more simple machines.
Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like A machine has a mechanical advantage of 5. What force should be applied to the machine to make it apply 3000 N to an object?, A machine can never be 100% efficient because some work is always lost due to _____ ., A machine has an efficiency of 70%.
A machine can decrease either the input force or the input distance needed to do a given amount of work. Which statements describe how a machine can help make work easier? Check all that apply.
Introduction to 2.000! This section contains lecture notes, assignments, and readings related to the topics listed.
After studying this chapter, students will be able to: Discuss how modern machine technology affects the workforce. Give a brief explanation of the evolution of machine tools. Provide an overview of machining processes. Explain how CNC machining equipment operates. Describe the role of the machinist.
How do machines make work easier? Lesson Question? Introduction to Machines • Machines make work easier by changing the way a is applied. • A machine can change: • the of a force. • the of force applied. • the over which a force is applied.
Covers the six simple machines with descriptions, sample calculations, and methods for finding mechanical advantages. Click Create Assignment to assign this modality to your LMS. We have a new and improved read on this topic.
This document contains an assignment submission for a mechanics of machines course. It includes an introduction to cams and followers, outlining their basic functions. It then discusses three main types of cams: flat or disc cams, cylindrical cams, and linear cams.