Simple Machines
Lever
A lever is a rigid, simple machine that is hinged on a fulcrum.
A first class lever, like the one above, can have one of three mechanical advantages. If the fulcrum is closer to the effort force than the mechanical advantage is going to less than one. If right in the middle, mechanical advantage is one and closer to the resistance force equals greater than one.
Second class lever has the fulcrum at one end, effort force at the other end and the resistance force in the middle. This always has a mechanical advantage of greater than one.
Third class lever also has the fulcrum at one end but at the other end is the resistance force with the effort force in the middle. Always a mechanical advantage of less than one.
Mechanical Advantage (MA): Fr/Fe
Fr = Resistance force
Fe = Effort force
A first class lever, like the one above, can have one of three mechanical advantages. If the fulcrum is closer to the effort force than the mechanical advantage is going to less than one. If right in the middle, mechanical advantage is one and closer to the resistance force equals greater than one.
Second class lever has the fulcrum at one end, effort force at the other end and the resistance force in the middle. This always has a mechanical advantage of greater than one.
Third class lever also has the fulcrum at one end but at the other end is the resistance force with the effort force in the middle. Always a mechanical advantage of less than one.
Mechanical Advantage (MA): Fr/Fe
Fr = Resistance force
Fe = Effort force
Compound Gears
A compound gears are a system of gears that help transmit or receive force.
The mechanical advantage of the system varies by the sizes of all the gears.
MA: Nout/Nin x Nout/Nin
The mechanical advantage of the system varies by the sizes of all the gears.
MA: Nout/Nin x Nout/Nin