Simple Machines: Pulleys – Distances, Forces, Mechanical Advantage and Work

This product contains a full set of teaching materials for simple machines and pulleys.

This product contains a full set of teaching materials for simple machines and pulleys. Using these resources your students will learn how to calculate the input and output distances, the input and output forces, as well as the mechanical advantage. After mastering the basics of how pulleys work they can then go on and discover the relationship between pulleys and work and why pulleys do not allow you to do less work when moving an object.

The following are included in this product:

1. Three pages of notes covering the basics of pulleys, mechanical advantage, calculating forces and distances, and work.
2. An introduction to pulleys worksheet so that students will know the difference between the input force, the output force, the input distance, the output distance and how to determine the mechanical advantage of a pulley system.
3. Five sets of exercises for calculating forces, distance and mechanical advantage.
4. Two sets of exercises for comparing the work done with a pulley system to the work done without a pulley system.
5. One set of exercises for comparing the relationship between the number of ropes supporting an object, the mechanical advantage, the input force, and the input distance.
6. Four presentations that you can use during your teaching.

At the top of the worksheets there is a link to videos from my Step by Step Science YouTube Channel. If your students need help understanding the concepts or completing the exercises, they can simply click on the link and watch the YouTube video where everything is explained in detail. An outstanding resource for students who are not able to attend class.

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