Name
Simple Machines
In ancient Greece a scientist named Archimedes came up
with the idea that there are simple machines which can be used
to make work easier. These machines could change the direction
of movement and could lessen the amount of work needed for
moving things. Later, scientists and artists like Galileo and
Da Vinci advanced this idea and came up with the six
simple machines we have today:
pulley
screw
wheel and axle
wedge
lever
inclined plane
Almost all modern machines use one or more of these
six simple machines.
1. A pulley uses grooved wheels and
ropes/chains to raise, lower, or move
a load by pulling on the rope.
Directions: Read the descriptions of the simple machines
and match them to the correct image.
2. A wheel, when combined with a rod
through its center as an axle, can be D
used to lift or move loads.
3. A wedge is an object with a slanted
edge which is sharp. It can be used
to cut or push two objects apart.
4. A lever is a bar that rests on a support,
called a fulcrum, and can be used to lift
or move loads.
Date
□
5. An inclined plane is any slanted surface
that is used to connect a lower surface to
a higher one. Heavy objects slide up the surface.
6. Screws are special kinds of inclined planes
that are wrapped around a pole, which holds
things together or lifts things.
Galileo
da Vinci
Archimedes
T