Wheel and Axle
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Wheel and Axle
Will a wheel and axle rolling down a ramp on its axle, and then hitting a lever, count as a wheel and axle? Gravity is the input force on the axle, and the wheel has an output force on the lever.
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Re: Wheel and Axle
Here's a good rule of thumb in answering questions like this: would the device still work if the wheel was able to spin freely on the axle? If so, you aren't using the wheel and axle as a simple machine to gain mechanical advantage and it's not within the rules.ericlepanda wrote:Will a wheel and axle rolling down a ramp on its axle, and then hitting a lever, count as a wheel and axle? Gravity is the input force on the axle, and the wheel has an output force on the lever.
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Re: Wheel and Axle
Agreed. You're not using a wheel and axle; you happen to be using a friction-reducing device.
Dunno if you were planning on 'pointing' the ramp, but inclined plane WORK needs to go uphill.
Dunno if you were planning on 'pointing' the ramp, but inclined plane WORK needs to go uphill.
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The Curse of the Electric Detention
>> Three full-length adventures, 26 short stories and counting!
Re: Wheel and Axle
Does this mean a wheel and axle need to work in place and not move along even a horizontal surface?
One of our wheel and axle work like this: A golf ball rolls down and hits the axle of the wheel. This pushes the wheel and axle forward on a horizontal surface.
Would it be considered a wheel and axle?
One of our wheel and axle work like this: A golf ball rolls down and hits the axle of the wheel. This pushes the wheel and axle forward on a horizontal surface.
Would it be considered a wheel and axle?
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Re: Wheel and Axle
I'll point back to my general advice above "Here's a good rule of thumb in answering questions like this: would the device still work if the wheel was able to spin freely on the axle? If so, you aren't using the wheel and axle as a simple machine to gain mechanical advantage and it's not within the rules." and also recommend you read the Wikipedia page on Wheel and Axle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_and_axleNair wrote:Does this mean a wheel and axle need to work in place and not move along even a horizontal surface?
One of our wheel and axle work like this: A golf ball rolls down and hits the axle of the wheel. This pushes the wheel and axle forward on a horizontal surface.
Would it be considered a wheel and axle?
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National Event Supervisor
National Physical Sciences Rules Committee Chair
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