DRAFT

Lesson 5: Gears and Strength

DESIGN ACTIVITY 3:
ANSWERS TO WORKSHEET QUESTIONS
1. What is the final gear ratio of your robot?
This depends on your robot design.
2. Label these different gears.
40 tooth spur gear
worm gear

slip clutch

rack

bevel or
crown gear

3. List 3 characteristics of a worm gear.

1. It produces a very large gear ratio (n to 1 where n is
the number of spur gear teeth).
2. The output axle is perpendicular to the input axle.
3. You cannot back drive a worm gear.
4. What is special about a slip clutch.
The slip clutch allows the axle to continue to turn if
the teeth of the gear get stuck.

DRAFT
2001 Robotics Academy. All Rights Reserved.

DRAFT
Lesson 5: Gears and Strength

DESIGN ACTIVITY 3:
ANSWERS TO WORKSHEET QUESTIONS
5. Look around your house and make a list of all the things you can find that
contain gears that you can see.
Ten speed bike
Corkscrew
Clock
input
Ice
cream scoop

output

output
Egg beater
Hand drill
Hand can opener
Salad spinner
input

6. Compute the following compound gear ratios.

2nd pair

output 1st gear pair:

input 16 to 24 = 2 to 3
2nd gear pair: 24 to 40 = 3 to 5

input

2/3 x 3/5 = 2 to 5

1st pair

3rd pair

output

1st gear pair: 40 to 8 = 5 to 1

2nd gear pair: 24 to 8 = 3 to 1

2nd pair
input

1st pair

3rd gear pair: 24 to 8 = 3 to 1

5/1 x 3/1 x 3/1 = 45 to 1

DRAFT
2001 Robotics Academy. All Rights Reserved.

DRAFT
Lesson 5: Gears and Strength

DESIGN ACTIVITY 3:
ANSWERS TO WORKSHEET QUESTIONS
4th pair

2nd pair

1st pair 1st gear pair: 24 to 1

input
3rd pair
output

2nd gear pair:

40 to 40 = 1 to 1
3rd gear pair:
8 to 16 = 1 to 2

4th gear pair: 24 to 8 = 3 to 1

24/1 x 1/1 x 1/2 x 3/1 = 36 to 1
6. What is wrong with this picture?
The spur gear is on the input
axle of the motor. That means if
the motor is turned on, the spur
gear will try to drive the worm
gear. Remember that worm gears
can only turn other gears, not
the other way around. If the
motor were turned on, the motor
would most likely stall.

DRAFT
2001 Robotics Academy. All Rights Reserved.