The Science of Motion

Bilingual General High School

Second Semester

Stage 4:
Machines: An application of the
Principles and Laws of Motion
4.1 Simple machines: lever, inclined plane, pulley and
lathe
4.1.1 Basic concepts of simple machines

We define a machine as: a device that transforms an input force into an

output force, and its objective is to facilitate the work to be done.

A simple machine consists of:

✔ Input force,
✔ The apparatus or device consisting of a single element and
✔ The output force.
4.2 The Lever

A lever is one of the first simple machines developed. It consists of a rigid bar
rotating on a point of support, also called fulcrum.

The best known lever is the seesaw, which you played with as a child.
Power Force: Input force Resistance Force: Output force,
applied to lift an object which is the weight (w) of the
object to be moved

Fulcrum: Support of the lever

Figure 4.2A Elements of the lever
 Power force Resistance Force

Figure 4.2B Elements of the lever

In relation to these elements, the levers are classified into: Class 1, 2, and 3
levers.
Principle of conservation of energy for the lever case:

Input work = Output work

4.2.1 Class 1 Lever
It is characterized because the fulcrum is located between the
power force and the resistance force.

Figure 4.3 Scheme of a Class 1 lever

 Resistance force

Power force

Fulcrum

■ Figure 4.5 Representation of the relation of forces in a Class 1 lever

The most used mathematical expression for solving lever exercises of
any kind is the following:
FP
BP
BR
FR

Power Power Resistance Resistance

* *
Force Arm = Force Arm
𝐹𝑃𝐵𝑃 = 𝐹𝑅𝐵𝑅
The ideal mechanical advantage is defined as the relationship between
the power arm and the resistance arm:

The actual mechanical advantage is defined as the relationship between the

resistance force and the power force:

And the efficiency of the machine is obtained as a percentage:

4.2.2 Class two lever
In this type of lever, the force to overcome (resistance) is between
the fulcrum and the input force (power).

F FR
FP

BR
BP>BR
BP

Figure 4.6 Representation of a Class 2 lever

In this type of arrangement, as can be seen, the power arm will
always be greater than the resistance arm. So the movements are
in the same direction (both power and resistance).

It is used when we want to overcome large resistances with little

power.

Some examples of the Class 2 lever are shown in the following

figure.
 BP
FP<<FR
BP>BR BR

BP BR

Figure 4.7 Examples of Class 2 lever

4.2.3 Class 3 lever
In this type of lever, the input force (power) is between the fulcrum
and the output force (resistance).

F FP FR

BP
BP<BR
BR

Figure 4.8 Representation of a Class 3 lever

Figure 4.9 Examples of Class 3 lever
4.3 Inclined plane
We define the inclined plane as:
"A simple machine that is made up of a flat surface that forms an
acute angle with the horizontal."
On an inclined plane, the effective or useful work is what is done
when we lift the load vertically, and the real work is what is done
when using the ramp or the inclined surface, that is:

Effective or useful work

Real work
The ideal mechanical advantage will be given by the relationship between
its length and its height.

This gives us an idea that the longer the length of the plane and the lower its height,
the easier it will be to move an object through it.

The real mechanical advantage will be given by the relationship between the
resistance force (weight of the load) and the power force (the force necessary to
push the load down the sloped plane).
 Axe-hatchet
(inclined plane)

Figure 4.10 Examples of sloped plane

4.4 The lathe

The lathe is a simple machine that consists of a cylinder or drum

to which a rope is wound and that rotates around an inserted
shaft, which is attached to a crank whose arm is longer than
the diameter of the cylinder, which allows lifting heavy loads
with less effort.

The lathe, used today, is also known as winch.

Figure 4.11 Examples of a lathe
The algebraic expression for the lathe is:

The ideal mechanical advantage is:

The real mechanical advantage is:

4.5 The pulley
A pulley is a system made up of a grooved
wheel and a rope that moves freely through
this channel. The pulley rotates freely around
a fixed axis attached to a bracket. They are
mainly used for pulling or lifting heavy
objects.
4.5.1 Fixed pulley
It is the simplest type of pulley, it consists of a single pulley fixed at a certain point
through its axis. It is used by exerting a force in the opposite direction to the
movement of the object to be lifted.

In this type of pulley it is said that the mechanical advantage is 1, since the force
exerted or power force (FP) applied on the rope must be equal to the weight of the
body, also called the resistance force (FR) to be lifted, if we disregard the friction
between the rope and the pulley. In this type of pulley, likewise, the distance
traveled by the object to be lifted is the same as that traveled by the rope when
applying the necessary tension to lift said object.
This is: Its support point is the center of it, then the distance from the center of the
pulley to the point where the power force is applied is taken as the power arm,
which in this case is the edge of the pulley , that is, said distance is the radius of the
pulley.

While the resistance arm will be the distance from the center of the pulley to the
point where the resistance force is applied, which, logically, is also the opposite
edge of the pulley, that is, it is also the radius of the pulley.

For this reason, its ideal mechanical advantage is equal to:

 of
rop ent
Rotation of the pulley

the vem
R r and the shaft

e
Mo
Power Force (FP)

Resistance Force (FR)

Figure 4.13 Relation of forces in a pulley

 Fixed
4.5.2 Movable pulley Movable
end end

In the case of the movable pulley, one

end of the rope is tied to a fixed point and Movable
pulley
the load to be lifted is attached to the
pulley through the hook, while the other Weight (w)
end of the rope is where the power force
is applied to lift it from an upper part, as
shown in Figure 4.14.
Figure 4.14 Operation of a movable pulley
From this point of view, the resistance arm, that is, the distance from the
fulcrum to where the resistance force is applied, will be the radius of the
pulley. While the power arm, the distance from the fulcrum to where the
power force is applied, will be twice the radius, that is, the diameter of the
pulley. Therefore, the ideal mechanical advantage of this system will be:
4.6 Compound machines
Compound machines are mechanical systems that result from the combination of two
or more simple machines. Within them we can distinguish two types of components:

• Mechanical components.
Those that are connected to each other to transform the supplied energy into
mechanical energy.

• Energy components.
They are the ones that supply the energy for the machine to operate. Among them
are: batteries, springs or ropes, photocells, etc. with their arms or legs.
4.6 Compound machines: Block and tackle and
gear system
Block and tackle : Combined pulley Gear system: Set of toothed wheels, it
system, can be two or more pulleys. can also be two or more gears.
Figure 4.15 Examples of compound machines
There are no easy methods
to solve difficult problems
René Descartes
Thank you!