click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Simple Machines
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Fulcrum | the pivot point around which a lever can turn |
| Mechanical Advantage | the ratio of the force produced by a machine to the force applied to it |
| Kinetic energy | the energy an object has due to its motion |
| Potential energy | the amount of energy that is stored in an object; energy that an object has because of its position relative to other objects |
| Simple machine | a simple device without moving parts that changes the magnitude or direction of a force |
| work | the change in a system's kinetic energy due to being acted on by a force |
| lever | a simple machine consisting of a solid bar that rotates around a pivot point; used to lift objects |
| pulley | a simple machine consisting of a rope that is wrapped around a wheel; can be used to help lift heavy objects |
| inclined plane | an object with a flat, tilted surface; a simple machine that helps things roll or slide upward off of the ground |
| power | the ratio of the amount of work done per unit of time, or the rate at which energy is transferred or transformed |
| wedge | a simple machine that can be used to split objects apart, hold objects in place, or lift objects from the ground; consists of two inclined planes joined together |
| screw | a simple machine made of a shaft with grooves that wrap around it going from top to bottom |
| wheel | one of the simple machines |
| compound machine | 2 simple machines combined to create a more complex machine, like scissors |
| wheel and axle | wheel attached to an axle so that these two parts rotate together in which a force is transferred from one to the other |