Copyright © 2015 Mighty Media Press Published by Mighty Media Kids, an imprint of Mighty Media Press, a division of Mighty Media, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. ® The Lexile Framework for Reading For information, write to Mighty Media Press, ® 640L Lexile Measure 1201 Currie Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403, USA, ®, LEXILE FRAMEWORK®, LEXILE ANALYZER® and the LEXILE® logo LEXILE www.mightymediapress.com. are trademarks of MetaMetrics, Inc., and are registered in the United States and abroad. The trademarks and names of other companies and Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data products mentioned herein are the property of their Doudna, Kelly, 1963- author. respective owners. Copyright © 2011 MetaMetrics, Inc. All rights reserved. The kids’ book of simple machines : cool projects & activities that make science fun! / Kelly Doudna. pages cm Includes index. Audience: K-3. ISBN 978-1-938063-59-6 (hardcover : alk. paper) -- ISBN 978-1-938063-60-2 (ebook : alk. paper) 1. Simple machines--Juvenile literature. I. Title. II. Title: Simple machines. ISBN: 978-1-938063-59-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) TJ147.D67 2015 978-1-938063-60-2 (electronic) 621.8--dc23 Cover design by Anders Hanson, Mighty Media, Inc. 2015016216 Art direction and book design by Kelly Doudna, Mighty Media, Photo credits: Artwork Copyright © and ™ Rube Goldberg Inc. All Rights Inc. Reserved. RUBE GOLDBERG® is a registered trademark of Rube Goldberg Inc. All materials used with permission. rubegoldberg.com; Agence Rol; Aneese/Shutterstock; The following manufacturers/names appearing in this book are Bobak Ha’Eri; Gary Lee Todd; Harland & Wolff Shipyard; Joseph trademarks: Arrow®, Burpee®, Coca-Cola ®, Sohm/Shutterstock; Kelly Doudna; Maros Markovic/ Printed and Manufactured in the United States Craft Smart®, DecoColor™, DeWALT®, Diet Coke®, Duck Tape®, Shutterstock; Metsfan84; Shutterstock; The Yorck Project North Mankato, Minnesota John Deere™, Paper Mate® Distributed by Publishers Group West First Edition
Contents
SIMPLE Spo tlig ht: MACHIN Six Simp
Spo tlig ht: Wo r k Lik
WHAT Y NEED WHAT IS
A No te to Yo
Ever yd
LEVER? Spo 20tlig h
24 1-2Lifting 26 Lever 28ing in Hang 30 32 WHAT IS AN Ever yday In INCLINED PLAN Spo tlig ht: P 38 Fabulo us 42 Tablet 44 46
Mar velo us Mar ble Mo ver 50 Ro ller Co aster Racetr ack 52
WHAT IS A WEDGE? 54
Ever yday Wedg es Spo tlig ht: Plo w 56 Plo Thr o ug h It 60w So ap Splitting 62 Dino Dar ling Sculptur e 64 Keep It To g ether (Par t 1) 66 e It with a Wedg Squar e 68 70 WHAT IS A SCREW? 72 Ever yday Scr ews 74 Spo tlig ht: Pr o peller 78 Amazing Ar chimedes Scr ew 80 Wr apar o und Scr ew 82 Tur n It Ar o und 84 Keep It To g ether (Par t 2) 86 Pr essing Matter s 88
WHAT IS A WHEEL AND AXLE? 90 Ever yday Wheels and Axles 92 Spo tlig ht: Fer r is Wheel 96 Wo nder ful Wheeled Wag o n 98
Pr etty Whi 100 Basic 10B Spinni 104
WHAT IS Ever yd 108Spo tlig h
Fly Mo del Easy Classic Tug
PUT IT ALL Spo tlig h 126 Find the
Har der than 132 THAT WA
GLO SIMPLE! IN
Simple Machines Simple machines are everywhere! They’ve a slide at the park, or been around for thousands of years. Ancient shooting a winning goal scientists observed the world around them. in a hockey game. A They realized that simple machines made it doorknob, a slide, and a There are six basic simple easier to do things. Today, people use simple hockey stick are all machines. This machines for all types of tasks. Something simple machines! Each book will help you figure as basic as the fork you eat with is a simple simple machine helps out how each one machine. So is the arm that lowers a shark you get some type of works. Read about things Mechanical advantage makes it easier to do cage into the ocean! Your bicycle is made with work done. you see and use work. But in this case, “work” does not mean a combination of simple machines. It makes it every day. Then get to a job you are paid to go to. Work is how much easy for you to get around town! This is called work! Do the fun physical effort it takes to do something. This mechanical advantage. projects. Learn how work could be opening a door, speeding down 6 simple machines make all sorts of things easier and more entertaining. Some of the activities in this book are quick and easy to complete. Others will take a bit more time. But just follow the steps and you’ll be a master of mechanics in no time!
SIX TYPES LEVER INCLINED PLANE
A
BORN : SYRAC DIED: (N OW C SYRAC Archim
scienti invento WEDGE SCREW physic Before engine Archim astrono three s devote showe WHEELPULLEY Once, pulley, refused AND AXLE 7 created math p advant as Rom Archim city ar using l famou “Give and re on, and Earth.”
SIX
Simple Machines
LEVER
INCLINED PLANE
Think of a job you want to get d want to take a snack up to your tr Maybe you want to pick up some in-line skates. Or maybe you wan little sister out of your bedroom. WEDGE SCR be needed to get these jobs done. the job, there is a simple machin
LEVER WEDGE
FULCRUM
INCLINED PLANE
Do you like to eat Have you ever played on a seesaw cereal? When you at the park? It makes it fun for you and tip the container to pour your friend to go up and down. A seesaw is A lever can be any long, rigid An inclined plane is a thing, such some out, the also a simple machine! It is a lever. as a stick or plank. It rests on and rotates ramp. A ramp reduces cereal slides down the around a fulcrum. The load, or object to be the effort needed to slanted surface. moved, sits on the lever. The lever moves move a load up or down. You have made an 8 the load up and down. inclined plane.
Is it your birthday? Use a
Do yo water simple your b A wedge is shaped like A scre machine to cut the the top a triangle. It can be cake! The knife is a thick or thin. It is used wedge. It splits the to break two things cake into pieces so 9 apart. A wedge can also everyone can have be fit into the space some. between things to stop them from moving.
plane w bottle b a circu togethe are use the bot connec things One sp water o materi high le
Fast More than one simple machine can be used at a time! Several simple machines can be linked together. Fact
This is called a compound machine.
WHEEL AND AXLE PULLEY
Is one of your chores taking out the recycling? The You know what a bin can be pretty heavy! But wheels and wheel is. An axle is a axles can help move rod it. This type of simple that goes through a machine makes it a wheel. A wheeled cart breeze to push or pull can move a load a the heavy bin. great distance with little effort.
W a S
Scien way They when and e R is the BORN : 1 5 6 4 , P ISA, si FLOREN meth DIED: 1 6 CE, ITALY 4 2 , ARCETRI, m TU SCAN Y, ITALY Galileo Galilei was an Italian scie like H q a philosopher. He discovered many using W q including the first four of Jupiter Keep E n d But some of Galileo’s ideas were penc re W that they scared government offic down T Galileo studied physics, math, eng A a officials forced Galileo to spend ideas W and astronomy throughout his life W years of his life as a prisoner in h you th W studied simple machines. He figur y that simple machines don’t createK c y energy. He showed that they trans n 11 q energy to make it easier to do som h re d p o e
1 2
WHEEL AXLE
Spotlight Galileo Galilei
PULLEY
Is your shoe untied? Use pulleys to tie it! The small holes you A pulley is a wheel or lace your shoelaces other support used through act as little for lifting or pulling. A pulleys. They help the laces bring the sides of 10string, rope, or cable goes over or around a your shoes together. pulley. A load is attached to one end of the rope. Pulling on the other end moves the load.
3 4 5
These are some of the things you’ projects and activities in this book.
What You Need
acrylic paint aluminum-foil balloons baking pan
books
carriage bolts
box
clamp
drill & drill bitsduct tape
box cutter
bars of soap
board
broom handles bucket
clear flexible tubing craft foam decorative beads
earplugs
12
foam pipe insulation
food coloring
hammer
hanger
heavy string
marbles
markers
mini dowels
paintbrushes
paper cups
paper plate
pennies
Phillips wood screws Ping-Pong ball
13
What You Need (continued) plastic cups plastic spoons pom-poms
pushpins
seeds
spring scale
PVC pipe
rope
small object to usesponge as a weight
straws
Styrofoam
14
potting soil
screw eyes
spools
tape measure
pulleys
screwdrivers
spring clothespin
toilet paper tube
toy car
triangular scale ruler
twine
washers
wing nuts
wire
wooden skewers wooden boxwooden craft sticks
wooden squares
wooden wheels
zip-top plastic bag
15
What Is a
is placed on the lever. To move th distance push on the lever. Where t The longer a lever is, the easier i A lever is place work of moving a load. But more can wor way a le means you’ll have to move the le three wa The lever was one of the first simple machines invented. It is a rigid bar, stick, is called or plank used to move or lift a load. The first farmers depended on levers to help carry water to crops. Medieval warriors used a catapult, To do this type of work, levers rest on and rotate a type of lever, to break down castle and city walls. around a fulcrum. A fulcrum can be any shape. It can be complex or something as simple as a rock. Once a lever is placed on a fulcrum, a load
Lever?
16
17
FIRST-CLASS LEVER
The fulcrum is in the middle of a first-class lever. The load is at one end. You push or pull the other end of the lever to move the load. A seesaw is a SECOND-CLASS LEVER first-class lever. You push The load is in the middle of a down on the lever when second-class lever. you are sitting on the The fulcrum is at one end. You ground. Your friend is the push or pull on the load being lifted into the lever at the other end. A door air. When your friend sits is a second-class on the ground, you are the lever. The hinges make the THIRD-CLASS LEVER load being lifted. fulcrum, and the door You push or pull in the middle of itself is the load. You do the a third-class lever. The work when you swing fulcrum is at one end. The load is the door open and closed. at the other end. It is harder to move a third-class lever. 18 But you can move the load farther. A baseball bat is a third-class lever. The end of the bat in your hands is the fulcrum. The baseball you hit is the load. Swinging the bat is the work.
LOAD
fulcr um
LOAD
fulcr um
E
LOAD
EFFO
19
fu
Everyday Levers A crowbar is a firstclass lever. You put one end under an object you want to lift up. Then you rest the crowbar on something to make a fulcrum. Finally, you push down on the free end of the crowbar to A wheelbarrow is a raise the end that’s compound machine. under the object. It is made of more than one simple machine. It has a wheel and axle. But it is also secondclass lever. The wheel is the fulcrum. You lift the wheelbarrow 20 handles to raise the load. It’s easy to move your little sister all around the yard!
EV HERE ARE YO
21
A bottle opener is a second-class lever. The end that rests on the bottle cap is the fulcrum. You pull up the other end to lift the cap off the bottle. The lever gives you access to a refreshing drink! A stapler is a secondclass lever. The hinged end is the fulcrum. You press down on the other end to drive the staple through the sheets of paper. Now you can hand in your report!
22
23
Spotlight Scissors
Spring scissors Scissors are a double lever that helps you cut paper.
Scissors are a tool you find everywhere. You use small ones to cut out a paper snowflake. Your dad uses large ones to trim the hedge. Large or small, The earliest scissors were made all scissors are a double, firstof two blades connected by a class lever. piece of flexible metal. These were known as spring scissors A stylist uses scissors and were used until the 1700s.to cut your hair.
24
The blad scissors connect the Science fulcrum role in t The design o scissor ’ Antique scissors with decorative handles of scisso provide Compan a place t to study order to and fing create th to make most us Physics
point A hedge trimmer is a large scissors used to cut bushes.
25
also to
loppers, kind
heavy-
scissors that their power!
WHAT flat board, YOU 6 feet duct tape ½ gallon (1.9 (1.8 m) NEED 1 gallon
M ACHIN E: LEVER
1-2-3 I See
L) bottle long (3.8 L) jug
1 Use duct tape to make five sq Space them evenly across the Make a first-class lever. Set th 2 and jug are empty, fill them with wate Center 3 4
the board over it. Set the jug Make a second-class lever. La board. board on Press down on the other end. the bottle. Set the jug in the mi lift Make a third-class lever. Leav Lift the the jug? on other end of the board. How e the bottle. Set the jug on the ot the middle of the board. Now how jug now? the jug?
Learn about THREE KINDS OF LEVERS 26
27
WHAT string YOU book broom chair NEED handle
M A C H I N E : L E V E R
Lifting with Levers
small plastic ruler bottle toy car
You’ve just learned about three cla put that knowledge to use. How can yo Tie a string to the book. Put th the How can you use the string, a house? Grab some common items chair to lift the book? Gather the plastic bottle, ruler you use the ruler to lift the bo Tie a string to the toy car. How using only a ruler and the stri
1 2 3
THAT’S NOTABLE!
For each step above, answer the fo your notebook. What was the lever? Wh What class lever did you make?
Put some LEVERS TO WORK
28
29
WHAT acrylic paint YOU paintbrush paint stir plastic NEED stick
M ACHIN E: LEVER
Lever Launcher
hot glue gun & bottle cap plastic cups glue sticks marker duct tape triangular pom-poms scale ruler
1 Paint the stir stick and plastic your game more colorful. Le 2 Hot glue the plastic bottle cap stick. Make sure the inside of 3 Write different numbers on th the scores. 4 Tape a few cups together. 5 Put the triangular scale ruler o stir stick over it. Set a pom-po
cap. Put the cups a short distan
LAUNCH SOME POM Test the distance of the cups. Pres
the end of the stir stick to launch a po cups near to where it lands. Then take PUSH IT FURTHER! poms How could you make the pom-po with a friend. If one lands in a cup farther? your Have fun testing your ideas! Writ score. Who has the highest score out.
Propel a pom-pom
toward a target 30
31
M ACHIN E: LEVER
Hanging in the Balance
WHAT paper plate YOU scissors marker ruler NEED
hanger hot glue gun & string a small, glue heavy sticks object, 2 small 50 pennies such as a paper cups small bottle of marbles glitter, to use as a weight
MAKE THE DIAL
1 2 3 4 5
Cut the paper plate in half. Fo plate in half again and unfold it. Tu Draw marks at each end of the edge is up. evenly spaced marks along th “0� over the center mark. Star each mark going to the right. Find the center of the bottom b going to the left. Make a mark. Make a mark 3
from Put a dot of hot glue on both s each end of the hanger. marks. Also put one dot of glu close to each end. Put a dot of glue on each end the plate. Press the back of the so that the center marks line u
Turn a hanger
into a lever 32
33
MAKE THE SCALE 1
3
1 2 3 4
Cut a 10-inch (25.4-cm) piece of string. Tie it around Use the point of the the hanger at the center scissors to poke two holes mark. Tie the other end in Cut two 20-inch (50.8-cm) around the small object the top of each paper cup. pieces of string. Fold you’re using for a weight. Make the holes across one string in half. Put the from each other. loop over one end of the Use the second string to hanger. Thread the ends of attach the other cup to the the string through the other end of the hanger. loop and pull it tight. Tie one string end to each hole in a cup.
34
BALANCE Hold or hang up the hanger. M THINGS 1 and
2 3
weight dangle freely. Put 25 p Loosen the loop of one cup’s The string attached to the wei to one of the marks 3 inches the “0” on the dial. That mean end. Tighten it when it’s between t Put the cups at the ends of the happens? How can you make 25 pennies in one cup. Put ma with cup. How many marbles does the “0” again? pennies?
THINK ABOUT IT!
The hanging balance you made h the lever and the fulcrum in your balance. the things you balanced. When you m around, how did you rebalance the scale? How things of 35 different sizes?
What Is an
Inclined Plane? An inclined plane is a sloped simple machine. This means that one end is higher than the other. The slope A delivery person could try makes it easier to move something to lift a heavy box over to a different level, including his head to load it into a yourself! But inclined planes help truck. But a ramp move so much more. makes this job much easier. The delivery person can just walk up from the ground to the truck while carrying 36 the box. This takes much less effort than lifting the heavy load over his head.
A heavy box is difficult How mu to lift. But can you made lif imagine the delivery blocks d person lifting stones steep the that are bigger than he slopes w is? Ancient Egyptians is a shor raised giant stones! distance They built the pyramids difficult out of them. One stone up it. A may have weighed longer d as much as four But it is elephants! Historians loads up think ramp. the Egyptians used do the s inclined planes to lift am these heavy loads. from lo Workers probably to pulled large sleds to is just sp move 37 stone blocks up ramps. distance The Egyptians might also have used levers to effort to lift the blocks. work.
Everyday Inclined Planes The slides at playgrounds and water parks are inclined planes. It’s fun to zoom down these simple machines over and over!
INCL ARE E HERE ARE YO
A roller coaster is full of inclined planes. The cars go downhill to speed up. They go uphill to slow down.
38
39
Crosswalks have short, low ramps. This allows things with wheels to roll from the sidewalk to the street.
Some sports stadiums have a lot of inclined planes. People walk up ramps to the highest seats and back down again.
40
41
Spotlight Pinball Machine
A woman pulls the spring plunger on a The brightly painted inclined planenonelectric pinball of an early pinball game. machine.
Have you ever played a pinball machine? The pinball game we know today is a complex machine with many ramps and bridges. It has bells and buzzers. It has flippers and flashing Bagatelle was a game played in France lights. But the first pinball game was in the 1700s. It was played on a table very simple. that was an inclined plane. The table Balls hit bumpers and other had holes that were blocked with
42
game components as they roll down a pinball table.
Billard japonais
wooden used a c to push A sprin for the replace the tabl cue stic half of In the la 1700s. A invento were us Montag instead a patent pins. Th smaller became bagatell Billard were us Redgra spring
became Pinball machines in an arcade
43game
modern
WHAT notebook YOU pen or pencil zip-top plastic marbles or NEED bag
M ACHIN E: IN CLIN ED P LAN E
Fabulous Force Finder
small spring stones several thick scale stiff ruler books
Ramp up
1 Draw a chart in your notebook. Make two columns. Label one 2 Fill the plastic bag with the “Ramp Height.” Label marbles or stones and Stack three of the books. the 3 zip it closed. Hook it onto Measure how tall they are. other “Force Used.” the spring scale. 4 Rest one end of the ruler Write the number in your on the books to make chart under “Ramp an inclined plane. Pull the 5 Read the force on the Height.” bag up the ramp using scale. Write the number in the scale. your chart under “Force 6 Repeat steps 3 through 5 a few times. Add one more Used.” book each time. Add the
the force
TH numbers to your chart. AT’ S NO TA BLE!
44
Look at your chart. What do the numbers tell you? Hook something different to the scale. Does it need more or less force than the marbles or stones? Fill in a new chart with information from your second 45 experiment. Now what do the numbers tell you?
WHAT shallow YOU scissors cardboard box acrylic paint paintbrush NEED
M ACHIN E: IN CLIN ED P LAN E
Tabletop Pinball
Score some points on this inclined plane
cardboard ruler hot glue gun & 2 rubber 2 toothpicks glue sticks bands 2 plastic paint stir stick bottle caps thin pencil cardboard toilet paper earplugs tube marker Ping-Pong ball
PREPARE THE BOX
1 A lid from an office paper box was used here, but
you can use any box. It Color your game! Paint the b should be about 12 by 18 dry. inches (30.5 by 45.7 cm). MAKE THE As you create other game par Cut the sides down to Cut a piece of cardboard. 3 inches (7.6 cm) tall. BALL Make it 12 by 2 inches Put hot glue on a long edge of (30.5 by 5.1 cm). LAUNCHER the cardboard inside the box a cm) Cut a 1-inch (2.5-cm) square o from the right side. This make two holes in it. Thread a rubbe one hole. Then thread the sam the other hole. Pull so the end Poke a hole in each side of the second rubber band around th should be in the cardboard str to secure. box’s side. Make each hole 2 i Push one end of the first rubb the hole. Put a toothpick through bottom of the lane. the toothpicks to the cardboar
2
1 2 3
4 5
46
47
Make a hole in the box at Cut the toilet paper tube into the bottom of the ball lane. Cut each ring in half to make Pull the end of the second the score cups. Hot glue them MAKE THE PLAYING FIELD Use a marker to write score n rubber band through the earplugs into place for the pi Put hot glue on each of the the cups. Write a “0” in the sp hole. This is the ball bottle caps. Glue them the flipper. launcher. under the box. Put one under PLAY THE GAME Put a Ping-Pong ball in front of th Cut a vertical slit in the left side of the box. It each corner opposite the should be 2 inches (5.1 cm) from the end of the box. from the ball lane. This will rubber band back and let go. This Make the slit big enough to fit the stir stick. Push the stir stick through the slit. Leave a 2-inch raise the end of the box Take turns with a friend! The turn with (5.1-cm) space between the stick and the ball lane and slant the playing field. person the flipper. Try to get the ball into wall. The other end of the stick will be outside the scores or when the ball falls past Cut two strips of thin cardboard. Make each strip down box. This is the flipper. the 10 by 1 inch (25.4 by 2.5 cm). Bend them into curves. the number from the cup. PUSH IT FURTHER! numbers. Who has the highest sco How could you make the game ha Hot glue a curve into each corner opposite from the Plan the rest your playing field. Make pencil marks Make notes ball lane. where you’ll put score cups and pins. Leave spaces in your notebook. Then test your big enough for the ball to pass through. what you find out.
6
6
6
7
1
2
2 3 4
4
5
48
49
WHAT 4 pieces of YOU foam scissors pipe NEED duct tape
M ACHIN E: IN CLIN ED P LAN E
Marvelous Marble mover
insulation, books marbles 3 feet (0.9 tape m) each measure
adding books and rolling! THAT’S NOTABLE! Make a chart in your notebook. Track the height of the books and the lengths of the rolls. How did adding books affect the rolls? Is there a pattern in the numbers?
Move your marble
more or less
1 Cut the pieces of foam insulat lengthwise. 2 Tape the ends of the pieces to piece that is 12 feet (3.7 m) lo for 3 Put one book on the floor. Lay the marble. on the book. The track becom 4 Hold the marble at the upper it go. Measure how far the mar 5 Stack another book on top of step 4. Now how far did the m
50
51
M ACHIN E: IN CLIN ED P LAN E
Roller Coaster Racetrack
WHAT 8 pieces of YOU foam scissors pipe insulation, NEED duct tape 3 feet (0.9 m) 2 boxes, 2 marbles each different sizes notebook pen or toilet paper pencil tube
1 Make two 12-foot (3.7-m) tracks out of foam pipe insulation. Follow steps 1 2 Tape one end of each track to the larger box. Put What do you think will the tracks side by side. Now 3 and 2 on page 51. happen if you release a
the fun begins! marble at the top of each Before racing the marbles ramp? Write it down in again, make a hill in one your notebook. Let both track. Prop it up with a marbles go at the same toilet paper tube. Make time and watch them race. Make a taller hill on the other another guess about what with will happen. Write it in the smaller box. What will ha your notebook. Let both marbles marbles go at the same THINK ABOUT IT! hit the hills? Write down you time and watch them go. You recorded what you thought m marbles go at the same time a steps 3, 4, and 5. Was each prediction c think it was or wasn’t? What other chan 53 What do you think will happen? What d
4
5
Race your marbles
down the tracks 52
What Is a
Wedge? A wedge is shaped like a triangle. It is made of two back-to-back inclined planes. It has a pointed end To split something using a and a flat end. Wedges can be wedge, you push the wedge’s used in different ways. Some are pointed end into where you used to cut objects apart by want to make a split. splitting and separating. You push on or hit the flat end. A thick, short wedge makes a wider split. But you have to hit it with more force to make it go all the way
54
through. A narrow, long wedge makes a thinner split. It needs less force to move through something. But you’ll have to hit it more times to finish the separation.
55
Other w things in are People h pushed t for thes space be for thou objects. Ancient impossi as simpl objects rocks w farther. Stone A wedges scrape. L used we chip aw stone so build thi shaped p farming
Everyday Wedges You chop vegetables using a knife. The blade of the knife is a wedge. Cutting separates the pepper into smaller and smaller pieces. Your dinner is going to taste good! The blade of an axe is a sharp wedge. Your dad uses it to split logs. The wedge of the blade pushes the log apart. It cuts smaller pieces to burn in the fireplace. You’ll be nice and warm in front of the fire!
56
E HERE ARE YO
57
Did you know that an airplane’s wings are wedges? They separate the air so the plane can move through it. The wings’ special shape also helps keep the plane in the air. The bow, or front, of a boat or ship is a wedge. The bow pushes the water out of the way so the boat can move through it. Ahoy, matey!
58
59
Spotlight Plow
An ancient Egyptian painting shows someone plowing with an ard. Plows are wedges used for farming.
The plow is an important machine in human history. A plow is a wedge that makes furrows in the soil. It makes Agriculture developed about 12,000 farming much easier. years ago. At first, people used sticks and hoes to dig in the dirt. Then, around 9,000 years ago, oxen were domesticated. The hoe was modified Oxen pull an ard. into an early plow, called an ard. It was hitched to an ox. With these 60 inventions, farming really took off!
T is in a w p c An antique John Deere tractor plow In 1837, e Deere m In first ma R In 1875, o made a la version. a Mod a cart f 1 made by sit in. D c Deer plow p p manufac very potr can b A modern plow tills a field. The c le large, m u 61been im machi equip p plows to since. T c use som John a simple well-kno work th name machine
WHAT aluminum-foil YOU potting soil baking pan spring seeds NEED clothespin
M ACHIN E: WEDGE
Plow Through It
water
Plant a mini field with a PINT-SIZED PLOW 62
1 Fill the aluminum-foil pan wi layer of potting soil. 2 Separate the two pieces of the 3 Push the end of one clothespi dirt to make furrows. 4 Plant the seeds in the furrows. directions on the package. 5 Gently cover the seeds with soil and water them. Set the pan in a bright window or outside. Care for your mini field THAT’S NOTABLE! Answer these questions in your according to the seed notebook. What kind of package tools do you think people used directions. for planting before the plow was invented? How does a plow make the task easier? The clothespin was used as a wedge once you separated it into 63 two pieces. But what kind of simple machine was it before you pulled it apart?
WHAT several bars YOU cutting board of soap large nails hammer NEED
M ACHIN E: WEDGE
Soap Splitting
large flatblade paring knife fork screwdriver
1 Unwrap the bars of soap and cutting board. 2 Use the hammer to pound a la of soap. 3 Push the screwdriver into ano 4 Very carefully cut through a s paring knife. 5 Use the fork to split another s THINK ABOUT IT!
Work some wedges to 64
BREAK A PART BARS
As you slice the soap, keep track your notebook. How did the wedges wo to break the soap all the way through imm were driven into it? How do you think to split something harder, such as a piece 65
M ACHIN E: WEDGE
Darling Dino Sculpture
WHAT soft bar of YOU paring soap paper knife ballpoint NEED tissue pen
1 Use the knife to gently shave the soap. 2 Plan your sculpture. Draw or paper. Lay the paper on the so 3 Trace the shape with the pen. of force as you draw. This wi Carefully shave the bar down 4 soap. You will use the dents a carving. you are using a soft bar of so Finish your sculpture by usin 5 need to press very hard. Work you carve
details. Rub the soap with a ti smooth THINK ABOUT IT! the edges. How does the knife remove piece think of a way a knife can be used as an machine? What other everyday ob as a wedge to carve soap?
Fashion a figure
using a wedge
66
67
WHAT acrylic paint paintbrushes YOU 8 boards, NEED ½ × 1½ × 16
M ACHIN E: WEDGE
Keep It Together (Part 1)
16 inches hammer nails (1.3 × 3.8 × 40.6 cm)
Use a wedge to NAIL IT
68
1 Paint the boards. Let the paint 2 Make the first square frame. P board over the end of a secon 3 4 5 6
up Place the other end of the firs to make a corner. Pound two of the third board. Pound two into the boards. Place the fourth board across corner. two nails straight into each co Make the second square fram 2 through 4, but this time pou an angle. Stand each frame on one side and forth. How sturdy are the
THAT’S NOTABLE!
Think about the squares you mad questions and answers in your no of pounding in nails made for a stur you think that is? In this project, the n 69 What simple machine is the hammer? Is simple machine you could use to hold th Hint: see Keep It Together (Part 2) on p
M ACHIN E: WEDGE
Square It with a Wedge
WHAT acrylic paint paintbrushes YOU 4 boards, NEED ½ × 1½ × 16 16 nails inches hammer (1.3 × 3.8 × 4 small clamp 40.6 cm) wooden squares
1 Make a square wooden frame 1 through 4 on page 69. Or, i 2 3 4
Together (Part 1), use the wo Clamp one of the wooden squ already made. corner of the frame. Pound a nail through the fram the square. Reposition the cla direction. Pound a nail throug Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the o other side of the square.
THINK ABOUT IT! Use some wedges
to keep a square square 70
Stand the frame on its side. Then w forth. What effect do the corner squares Do they make it sturdy and keep it squ corner squares work as wedges in
71
What Is a
A large device called a screw pum These e first known example. It might hav carried in the 600s BCE to take water to t Holding Gardens of Babylon and Nineveh not a co A screw is an inclined plane wrapped around a core. This gardens were one of the Seven W screw u inclined plane is called a thread. the Ancient World. The screw pum Greek scientist and inventor Arch Turning a screw causes one of two things to happen. was a giant blade. Turning the scr also made a screw pump in the 20 A screw can pull two things together. This is what It became known as the Archimed happens when you screw the cap onto a waterwater to a higher place. bottle. A screw can also push one thing into another thing. This is what happens when The screw was the top board of a flower press flattens invented later than a bloom. some other simple machines.
Screw?
72
73
Everyday Screws A ship’s propeller is a screw that cuts through water to move the vessel. Full speed ahead!
S EV HERE ARE A YOU
Ceiling-fan blades work together as a screw to move air around. The breeze created feels good on a warm summer day!
74
75
You turn a screw to squash apples in a cider press. Enjoy a glass of cider on a crisp autumn day!
The lid of a jar screws on to keep the contents inside. That tomato sauce will be delicious on spaghetti!
76
77
Spotlight Propeller
An airplane’s propeller is a screw that helps pull the airplane through the air.
A ship’s propellers have blades that move water to push the ship forward.
A propeller can push a ship through water. It can also pull an airplane through air. Either way, it’s a screw that converts a turning motion into linear movement. Many screws are bored into something, such as wood. These screws stop The curved blades of the propeller moving when they cannot be pushed are like the threads of a screw. The farther. But unlike these screws, a hub that they’re attached to is like propeller turns continually. This allows 78 the ship or plane to continue to move.
the core propelle long, sl that turn Inventor This pro Vinci sk called a idea for ship Xxx and pro propelle The firs 1500s. B wide bla An early airplane propeller steamsh built the turn mo powered the early called a propelle people h propelle The Wr SS Arch and teste were fam built in propelle America ship wa They co Archim Today, experim ancient at work improve who cre A jet engine turbine and airc the early screw p 1903, th transfer 79It’s ama think the accomp moves t propelle giant ve powered
WHAT 2-inch (5.1-cm) YOU PVC pipe, colored duct clear, 24 inches (61 NEED tape
M ACHIN E: SCREW
Amazing Archimedes Screw
flexible cm) long 2 bowls water tubing, food 10 feet (3.0 bucket coloring m)
1 Cover the PVC pipe with colo 2 Tape one end of the tubing to 3 Wind the tubing around the p the tubing to the pipe. Cut off any 4 Fill one bowl with water. Add coloring. Turn the bucket upsi other 5 Put one end of the pipe in the bowl on it. the other end of the pipe on th 6 Turn the pipe. What happens? direction. Does the same thing PUSH IT FURTHER!
Winding water
reaches a lofty level 80
Keep experimenting with the scre the tube around the pipe a different n the empty bowl higher or lower. Wha changes have? Keep track in your noteboo 81 be used to move anything besides wa
WHAT thick marker YOU NEED 1 sheet of
M A C H I N E : S C R E W
Wraparound Screw
paper, ruler 8½ × 11 scissors inches tape pencil (21.6 × 27.9 cm)
1 2 3 4 5 6
Make a mark on the long side inches (7.6 cm) up from a corner. D Cut the paper down the middl the marker line will represent the marker across the short side Using the other short side of opposite bottom corner. steps Tape the short edge of one tr 1 and 2 to make a second tria Wrap the paper around the m point down. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the This time, wrap the triangle a
THAT’S NOTABLE! Watch an inclined plane become a screw 82
Make some notes in your noteboo marker lines are there around the thick marker there around the thinner pencil? How d number of threads affects how a screw work 83
WHAT scrap piece of YOU board, drill & drill adult 2 × 4 inches (5.1 NEED bits Phillips screwdriver
M ACHIN E: SCREW
Turn It Around
helper × 10.2 cm) 9 Phillips screws, 3 each of 3 different sizes
1 Have your adult helper drill s board. Drill three holes each sizes. 2 Start with the smallest screws small hole. 3 Repeat with the other two size other sets of drilled holes. THAT’S NOTABLE!
Learn the difference
What happened as you screwed in notes in your notebook. How did the siz the ease of turning each screw? Were screws easier to turn?
different sizes make
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85
WHAT acrylic paint YOU paintbrush 4 boards, NEED ½ × 1½ × 16
M ACHIN E: SCREW
Keep It Together
(Part 2)
drill & drill inches adult helper bits (1.3 × 3.8 × 4 Phillips Phillips 40.6 cm) wood screws screwdriver
Use some screws to secure a square 86
1 Paint the boards. Let the paint 2 Place the end of one board ov second 3 4 5 6 7 8
board. Line them up to make Use the screwdriver to turn a adult helper drill a starter hol board into the other board. Place the other end of the firs of the third board. Have your starter hole. Use the screwdriver to turn th
Place the fourth board across your adult helper drill a starte Use the screwdriver to turn sc
Stand the frame up. Wiggle it the screws keep the square togeth THINK ABOUT IT! How sturdy is this frame? Did yo Together (Part 1) on pages 68 through 69? 87 compare? Why do you think that
WHAT 2 boards, 1 × YOU 4 inches acrylic paint (2.5 × 10.2 NEED paintbrush
M ACHIN E: SCREW
Pressing Matters
cm) of drill & adult helper the same drill bits 2 carriage length 4 inch × ¼ inch bolts, 4 washers, ¼ × 20 inch 2 wing nuts, ¼ thick (0.6 cm) inch × 20 apple sponge flower
Put the squeeze on
with two screws and two boards
1 Paint the boards. Let the paint dry. Stack the boards. Have your a 2 hole through both boards at each e 3 Put a washer onto each carria up through each hole from below 4 Place the sponge in the middle of the board. 5 Put the top board down over a washer on each bolt. Screw the 6 Tighten the wing nuts to sque bolts. Keep turning until the w between board. the boards. 7 Loosen the wing nuts and rais the
sponge. Press the apple next a
THINK ABOUT What happened when you squeez IT!
88
press? Was it easy or hard? Think abou object is to squeeze with your hand. The s soft. 89 The apple is much harder. Write notebook what happened when you pressed these
What Is a
Wheel and Axle?
A wagon is used to carry a load. Y The Sum wagon. The wheels roll along the ancient spin around the axle. Moving the lived in A simple water well also uses a w wheels is much easier than dragg Mesopo axle. A rope is tied to the axle. A a water tied to the rope is the load. historic the wheel. This winds the rope aro southeas axle, lifting the bucket. You turned A wheel and axle is a simple machine with two parts. The wheel existed a few times. But doing so turned t connects to the axle. The two parts work together. They spin BCE. Th many times. It is easier to turn the around the same center point. invented The wheel and axle can do two than the axle. axle. Th things. It can transfer power were ma between the two parts. It can They ro also make a load easier to horizon move. Rolling a load on wheels used to is easier than dragging it. Then th A wagon is an example of this. rolled lo crates, w 91 them mo 90 gave Su the idea wheel a carts wi and axle the midThe whe wood. som spoked wheel a
vehicles
through
Everyday Wheels and Axles The basic parts of a doorknob are a wheel and axle. The knob you turn is the wheel. Turning it moves the latch to let you in. Open sesame!
WHEELS ARE EV HERE ARE YO
A pizza cutter combines two simple machines. A wheel and axle rolls the cutter through the pie. The edge of the cutting wheel is also a wedge! What are your favorite pizza toppings?
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93
You learned on page 74 that the blades of a fan work like a screw. Together, the blades form a wheel that rotates around the center of the fan, or the axle. This wheel and axle creates a A roll of toilet paper and refreshing breeze! its holder form a wheel and axle. The holder is the axle. The roll is the wheel. The wheel is offcenter, but it still works to move the paper. This is one simple machine you don’t want to be without 94 when you need it!
95
Spotlight Ferris Wheel
The High Roller Ferris People in Paris, wheel, Las Vegas 1913, ride a wheel that turns around an The earliest Ferris wheels were simple axle.
wooden rings from which chairs were suspended. Strongmen turned the wheels. These early rides were called pleasure wheels or great wheels. Records of them appear in the 1600s The first such wheel appeared in the and 1700s, mostly in eastern European United States in 1848. A Frenchman countries. A modern Ferris named Antonio Manguino built it for a wheel at an fair in Georgia. But George Washington 96 amusement park
George Washington Gale Ferris Jr.’s 1893 wheel
Riders sit in cabs or cars that are attached to the wheel.
97
hund ye large whe built Toda of th whee Japa stand Engl amu Sing park Chin Thes The simp worl prov High skyVega It op It’s a high build
WHAT wooden box YOU large 4 wooden acrylic paint enough to NEED wheels paintbrush
M ACHIN E: WHEEL AN D AXLE
Wonderful Wheeled Wagon
hold the jug ruler wooden dowels that fit scissors 4 rubber through the duct tape bands wheels large plastic jug
1 Make your wagon colorful! P wheels. Let the paint dry. 2 Measure the width of the box. 2 inches (5.1 cm) longer than These are the axles. 3 Put a wheel on each end of eac rubber band around each dowel end. 4 Tape the axles across the bott wheels from slipping off. them 2 inches (5.1 cm) in fro opposite sides. 5 Fill the jug with water. Put it it.
Then set the jug in your wago
PUSH IT FURTHER!
Pushing things around just got easier
98
How easy or hard was it to push t own? What about once you placed it on Did the wagon make it easier to m do you think this happened? Write yo a notebook. Then try moving other 99 wooden wheel and axle!
WHAT 2 pieces of YOU paper, glue ruler different NEED scissors
M ACHIN E: WHEEL AN D AXLE
Pretty Pinwheel
colors pushpin pencil with an eraser
1 Glue the two pieces of paper t dry. Measure and cut the paper 2 Draw lines between opposite c in both directions. Make a ma inches 3 Cut in from the corners along (5.1 cm) from the center point as far as the marks. 4 Pull one corner to the center. folding it. Poke the pushpin th 5 6
the Poke the pushpin through the other three corners to the cen Then poke it into the pencil’s through each tip. Blow on the pinwheel or wave it spin!
PUSH IT FURTHER! Make a wind-powered whirling wheel 100
Which part of your pinwheel is th is the axle? Try making pinwheels f than a square. Which shapes did you try best? 101 Keep a record in your notebook.
M A C H I N E : W H E E L A N D A X L E
Whirly Bird
WHAT paper and YOU markers scissors OR corrugatedand computer NEED glue stick
cardboard printer hot glue gun & wooden craft glue sticks mini dowel stick
Spin a winged wheel on a mini axle 102
1 Find and print out bird body draw and color your own. Gl
corrugated cardboard using t Poke a hole in the bird’s back shapes out of the cardboard. Then Put a dot of hot glue on one e poke a hole near the front of Stick it to the back of the bird Push the tip of the mini dowe dry. Use a dot of hot glue to hold the w Push the other end of the min Let hole the glue dry. in the body. Slide the second Hold the two wings so that th dowel not on the other side of the body. touching, the body. Use a dot Hold the craft stick. Twirl the the second wing to the dowel. Le bird’s wings spin! THINK ABOUT IT! Think about the Pretty Pinwheel through 101). Is there a way you could adapt the the 103 Whirly Bird’s wings? Try it! Writ happened in your notebook.
2 3 4 5 6 7
M ACHIN E: WHEEL AN D AXLE
Basic Balloon Car
Make a car whiz around
with wind and wheels 104
WHAT toilet paper YOU acrylic tube paintbrush paint ruler NEED
scissors 2 drinking hot glue gun straws & wooden 4 plastic bottle glue sticks skewers balloon caps small rubber band
1 Paint the toilet paper tube to l Let the paint dry. 2 Cut two 2-inch (5.1-cm) piece of Cut two 3-inch (7.6-cm) piece 3 hot glue on the middle of each straws. Each straw should be n of hot glue in the center of tw Stick the skewers through the 4 one skewer piece in each dot. Put dots of hot glue in the cen Put a dot of hot glue inside ea 5 bottle caps. Stick them to the e paper tube opposite the wheel Use the rubber band to attach 6 uncut straw to the glue to attac end of the long straw. Blow th
of the straw to inflate the ballo the straw as you set the car do watch the car zoom! PUSH IT FURTHER! Your balloon car uses wind power figure out a way to use a rubber band ins idea in 105 your notebook. Then try making t Write down what worked and what you c
WHAT 2 small ruler YOU plastic bottles box cutter adult helper NEED duct tape
M ACHIN E: WHEEL AN D AXLE
Spinning Spoons
wooden marker skewer 6 plastic scissors spoons water faucet
Harness the power of a water WHEEL
1 Have your adult helper cut 2 the Have your adult helper poke a 2 bottoms of the bottles using t the two bottle pieces together the bottom of each piece using 3 Stick the skewer through the h 4 Make a mark on the handle o (2.5 cm) from the bowl. Cut t marks. 5 Tape the spoons around the hu face the same direction. 6 Turn on the water faucet. Rest skewer on your fingers. Put th
faucet so the flowing water hi
THINK ABOUT IT!
The project you just made is a w part is the wheel? Which part is the things could you power with a water wh sketches in your notebook.
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107
What Is a
Pulley?
You can use more than one pulley or more This is called a compound pulley. each add The Me pulley is fixed in one place. The s you hav were pr can move. The load is attached to rope ev first peo The pulley is a simple machine made of a grooved A single rope goes around both p simple r wheel, or other support, and rope. The rope fits Now when you pull on the rope, i to lift w inside the groove. Pulleys are used to move easier to move the load than when of years a load up and down or back and forth. A pulley. You can add even more pu Archim single pulley is fixed in one place. The system. Each pulley makes it easie been on load is attached to one end of the rope. the load. However, you have to pu to use a When you pull on the other end of the across a greater distance when us pulley. I rope, the wheel turns. This moves the compou load to a new location without pull a sh you having to carry it. to land own stre
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Everyday Pulleys Have you ever been on a sailboat? The pulleys of the rigging help raise and lower the sail. They help move the boom, which is the part that points the sail in the right direction to catch the wind. Cranes use pulleys to help lift heavy loads. The crane contains other simple machines too. The arm is a lever. Together, the pulleys and the arm can move big, heavy things easily!
110
E HERE ARE YO
111
Is it sunny today? Some blinds that cover your window are controlled by pulleys. Pulling the cord in one direction opens the blinds. Pull the cord in the opposite direction to close them. Window coverings that roll up and down also use pulleys. Is the setting sun shining in your eyes? Let the cord move through the pulleys to lower the shade.
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Spotlight Elevator
Elisha Otis demonstrates his safety elevator.
Today’s elevators have lights, buttons, and even play music. They may seem Forerunners to modern elevators complex, but even were installed in the palaces of Europe modern elevators in the 1700s. In 1743, King Louis of are based on a Elevator in the Grand France installed a “flying chair” in simple machine. Opera, Paris, 1875 the Palace of Versailles. In 1823, two These British architects made an “ascending pulley systems have 114 room.” But Elisha Otis is perhaps the been around for thousands of years.
Top: Elevator pulleys and cables Right: Modern, enclosed elevator car
mos elev He i first Vari pass elev in N are i City One a saf mos devi the t keep elev from cabl attac W pass an car a loop m pulle is ca w 115 driv othe sti of th attac el a co An e he moto mov an of th do catch ea cabl car s the d
WHAT wooden YOU Styrofoam skewer 2 spools block acrylic paint NEED
M ACHIN E: P U LLEY
Fly a Flag
paintbrush hot glue gun & string ruler glue sticks scissors craft foam
1 Paint the skewer, Styrofoam, and spools to make 2 Stick the pointed end of the skewer into the foam. your flagpole more Hot glue a spool near the Cut a 24-inch (61-cm) top of the skewer. Glue 3 colorful. Let the paint dry. piece of string. Tie it another spool near the tightly bottom. Leave a little space 4 Cut a triangle out of craft around both spools, foam. Make the sides above the foam. Let the
making one long loop. 2 inches (5.1 cm) long. Put glue dry. Trim two or three dots of The spools are pulleys. the ends. hot glue along one edge of Pull on the string to raise the triangle. Press the and lower the flag. THINK ABOUT triangle onto the string. Be Could you redesign your IT! careful not to touch the flagpole using only one pulley? hot glue. Let the glue dry. Sketch it in your notebook. Now try building it. Which system works better? Why do you think that is? 117
5
Use pulleys to raise and lower a mini flag
116
WHAT wood frame (see YOU Keep It Together (Part 1), ruler NEED
M ACHIN E: P U LLEY
Model Mini Blinds
drill & drill pages adult helper bits 68–69, or Keep It 3 small screw Together paper, 11 × 17 eyes (Part 2), pages 86– inches hole 87) heavy (27.9 × 43.2 cm) punch scissors string decorative beads
1 Have your adult helper drill three holes in the underside
of the top of the frame. Make Twist screw eyes into the two one hole in the middle. end holes. Turn them so Make the other two holes 3½ their loops face each other. inches (8.9 cm) away from Fold the paper back and Screw the third screw eye the middle one on each side. forth to make a narrow strip into the middle hole. Turn it Press the ends flat. Punch Cut a 5-foot (1.5-m) piece of so the sides of its loop face hole through all layers of string. Thread one end the other screw eyes. the paper 2 inches (5.1 cm down through the hole at one Thread one string end from each end. end of the paper. Add through each outer screw eye some beads to the string. The Thread the ends of the string Go from the sides of the thread it up through the through the middle screw frame toward the middle. hole at the other end of the eye. Tie a knot a few inches THINK ABOUT IT! paper. from the ends. Thread the Pull the string to raise and ends through a bead. Tie a kn lower the blind. Then answer under the bead. these questions in your notebook. 119 What part is the pulley? What other simple machine is part of this project?
2 3 4
5 6
Fold and unfold
the easy way 118
WHAT wood frame (see YOU Keep It Together (Part 1), 3 small NEED
M ACHIN E: P U LLEY
Easy Lifting
wire pages pulleys wire cutters 68–69, or Keep It 2 oranges Together twine tape (Part 2), pages 86– 87) measure
Discover the power
of multiple pulleys 120
1 Use wire to tie two of the pul of the frame. 2 Tie twine around each of the o 3 Tie the twine on one of the oranges to the loop of the third pulley. 4 Cut a 30-inch (76.2-cm) piece of twine. Then cut a 4-foot (1.2-m) piece of 5 Tie one end of the shorter twine to the other twine. orange. Thread the loose end 6 Tie the longer piece of twine of the twine through around the frame near one of the pulleys on the 7 Thread the loose end through the second pulley. attached to the orange. Then th frame. second pulley. 8 Set both oranges on the bottom Pull the twine to lift the orang THINK ABOUT IT!
Which orange is easier to lift? Co you had to pull different amounts of tw oranges 121 to the same height? What do you t a three-pulley system? Write down y notebook.
WHAT 4 spools YOU 3 skewers hot glue gun & ruler NEED glue sticks
M ACHIN E: P U LLEY
Classic Clothesline
pencil scissors string craft paper foam clips
shift some shirts
on this simple setup 122
1 Set two spools upright. Stick one. Add a dot of hot glue ar Set the other two spools uprig 2 hold it in place. Let the glue d of each skewer into a spool. A Make a mark on each skewer 3 hold them in place. Let the glu a spool. 4 Cut the point off the third ske end to each mark on the skewers 5 Cut a piece of string that is th Let the glue dry. of the third skewer. Tie the st 6 7
both spools near the crossbar Cut some T-shirt shapes out o loop. Trim the ends close to t Clip them to the string. Gently pull the string to move the spools.
THINK ABOUT IT!
Which parts of the clothesline are the pulleys? Which parts are the load? What other things could be moved with a 123 system like this? Think big! Make notes and sketches in your notebook.
WHAT 2 broom YOU rope handles 2 friends NEED
M ACHIN E: P U LLEY
Tug-ofWar
1 Tie one end of the rope to on handles. 2 Have your friends stand facin each one hold a broom handl ground and each other. 3 Wrap the rope around both br Go around the brooms twice. 4 Pull on the loose end of the ro friends 5
pull the broom handles away f everybody pull as hard as they Continue the activity by wrapp tug-of-war: your friends with the handles more times. with the rope?
THAT’S NOTABLE! Perceive the pulling power
of pulleys 124
Which part acts as the pulley in thi down in your notebook. Then write dow around the broom handles there are. Is it e the handles together using the rop or harder when you add additiona 125 anything change if your friends hold the ha Record all results in your noteboo
Put It All Together!
Spotlight Rube GoldbergRube G many ta
BORN : 1 8 8 3 , SAN FRAN CISCO, DIED: 1 9 7 0 , N EW CALIFORN IA N EW YORK CITY, YORK
He was enginee sculptor The six simple machines are building blocks. Each can work by Goldber itself. Or you can combine them. Two or more simple machines famous linked together form a compound machine. A compound drawing Simple machines are joined together How machine makes it even easier to do work. inventio by linkages to a Mou complic create a compound machine. These c Linkages connect parts compon Many things you see in different ways. The work one together every simple machine task, suc day are puts out is passed on to the next as wakin compound simple machine. catching machines! Energy passes from part to part. The best mousetrap by Rube a mouse to cool All of the work Goldberg: Mouse (A) dives Goldber (E) dr that happens is easier to do. for painting of cheese (B), 127 126 gloves inventio goes through canvas and into ba lands on hot stove (C). He machine miniatur jumps on cake of ice (D)
takes
COMPOUND MACHINES ARE EVERYWHERE! HERE ARE A FEW Find the Simple Machines MIGHT SEE ANYWHERE. SEE WHAT SIMPLE MACHINES YOU CAN IN EACH PHOTO. THEN, TURN THE PAGE TO FIND OUT HOW Have you ever been fishing? Your rod and reel is a compound machine that helps you catch your dinner!
An airplane is a compound machine. Many simple machines play a part in keeping the plane in the air.
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DID YOU FIND THE SIMPLE MACHINES? A The reel LOOK BELOW TO is a wheel SEE HOW YOU DID. B The A and axle. C The rod crank is a D The line C is a lever. lever. goes around pulleys.
A The wings have B The wing flaps C The is a wedge. that are wheels are D levers. The nose wheels E The is a wedge. and axles. propellers F areThe tail is a wedge. screws.
C
C B
A D
B
A
D
C 130
E
E
F
B
D
A
B
A B
A C
D 131
M ACHIN E: RU BE GOLDBERG
Harder than It Needs to Be Use the six simple machines to move two balls
132
WHAT scissors toilet paper YOU acrylic paint tube paintbrush NEED paint stir
ruler stick adult saw helper hot glue gun & glue 3 wooden craft sticks 2 mini dowels sticks Styrofoam wooden ball 6 plastic skewer stiff, spoons coated chenille wire, 12 2 small stem string inches paper cups wood frame & (30.5 cm) pulleys long foam (see Easy pen core nails Lifting, hammer pages 120–121) rubber rubber ball stamp marble
PREPARE THE Cut the toilet paper tube in COMPONENTS
1 half the long way. Paint Have your adult helper saw a 6-inch (15.2-cm) piece 2 the halves. Let the paint dry. off the stir stick. Paint it. Let 3 4 5
6 7
Paint the three craft sticks. the paint dry. Place a Let the paint dry. Hot line of hot glue along both glue mini dowels to the edges of one side. Let the Paint the foam ball. Let the p center of two craft sticks. glue dry. to 5 inches (12.7 cm). Stick i Place lines of hot glue of the ball. Cut the handles o along the edges of one side Stick the spoon pieces into th of Wrap the wire loosely aroun them evenly around the skew one of these craft sticks. Let Leave 2 inches (5.1 cm) of o face the glue dry. sticking off one end. Fold it the same way. Cut a 6-inch (15.2-cm) will piece of chenille stem. make a handle. Bend Poke holes in opposite it into a narrow triangle. sides of one paper cup. Twist the ends together. Thread the string through Trim the ends. the holes. Tie a knot over 133 the top of the cup so that it hangs from the string. Trim the ends.
MAKE THE MACHINE 3
1 Remove one of the pulleys from the wood frame. Move the remaining pulley 2 Trace around the frame on a a little closer to one piece of foam core. 3 4
6
5 6 7
7
corner. Cut out the square. Have your Plan the action! Lay the pieces adult helper use a you prepared inside hammer and nails to attach the the frame similar to how they Thread the string that is tied to foam core to the are shown here. the cup through the frame. Turn the frame over. Arrange them to see how pulley. Move the cup to 3 Lay the spoon wheel on the they’ll all fit. inches (7.6 cm) below the other side of the frame pulley. Lay the cup on its side. Put hot glue along one side of a little below the level of the It will need room to the paint stir stick. cup. tip over in the finished Press the stick onto the foam machine. core at an angle to Stick the spoon ball’s skewer make a ramp from the cup to through the foam core. the spoons. Make sure Place it so that when it spins, it the lines of glue are facing up. doesn’t touch either The stick should not the stir stick or the side of the 134 touch the cup or the spoons. frame.
8 9
Hot glue the second paper cup under the left side of the spoo Put hot glue along one edge o tube half. Stick it to the foam Place it so the high end begin the spoon wheel. Slant the ram Stick the mini dowel of the cr cup. Leave at least 2 inches (5 hot glue strips through the fo ramp’s lower end and the bott the craft stick also makes a ra end lining up with the low end Stick the mini dowel on the cr tube ramp. glue or wire coil through the the dowel about 1 inch (2.5 cm the other craft stick. The left e should be near the inside left The right end should be abov other craft stick.
10 11
135
12 12
Use scissors to poke a horizontal slit in the foam core a couple of inches below the top of the frame. Put hot glue along one edge of Stick the end of the craft stick the other toilet paper with the wire coil tube half. Stick it to the foam into the slit. The wire handle core to make a ramp should be on the end near the wire-coil craft stick. pointing out. Secure the stick to Hold the cup tied to the string so The tube should slant the foam core with its lip is just under from the craft stick toward the hot glue. the high end of the stir stick. Pull right side of the the loose end of frame. Leave a 1-inch (2.5-cm) the string down to the high end of Position the chenille-stem space between the the craft stick in triangle under the left end end of the tube and the frame. the bottom left corner of the of the craft stick that is in the Make sure the spoons Leave the frame lying on its frame. Tie the string frame’s left corner. below have room to spin. back. Gently put the around the rubber stamp so it is Place it so the triangle’s pointed taut when the rubber ball in the cup on the end is down. Set the stamp sits on the stick. Trim any string. The cup should 136 rubber stamp on the stick on top remain raised, and the rubber extra off the end of of the triangle. stamp low. You’re set the string. for the action!
13 13
14 15
15
16
HOW IT SHOULD WO
1 Carefully stand the frame upri on the highest craft stick betw
near the wire handle. Use the h wire. The marble will roll down th The marble will move along t side of reaches the foam core, it will the frame, past the spoon whe The marble will roll down the paper down under the second. It should the tube ramp. the other toilet paper tube and triangle over. The weight of the rubber stamp will push the craft stick lever down. The string As it rises, the lip of the cup will move around the will catch on the edge of pulley and raise the cup. the stir stick ramp. This will cause the cup to tip and spill the rubber ball. The ball THINK ABOUT IT! Which simple machine does each will roll down the paintGoldbergstick ramp and onto the spoon inspired machine represent? Did y wheel. It will land in the as other cup. The course is 137 planned? If not, make adjustments complete! down what worked and what didn’t. The whole new machine. The possibilities are end
2 3 4 5
That Was Simple!
Some simple machines are easy to see. Others take a little more observation and thought to discover. Use this book as a starting point for learning about simple machines. Keep 138 your notebook and pencil handy. With just a little detective work, you can find simple machines everywhere around you! Make a note each time you come across one. Your notebook will fill up in no time!
FORK M ach i n e : L ev er HAMMER
M a c h in e : Le v e r
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Gl o ssary access – a way of getting to or using devote – to give time something. and attention to analyze – to study or dispense – to give something. think about something out or provide catapult – a large, domesticate – to train carefully in order to something. ancient weapon used an animal to live or evolve – to change understand it. for launching large work with humans. chariot – a small vehicle pulled by a horse slowly over time, often flexible – able to easily rocks over castle or and used in ancient battles or races. improving. complex – not easy to understand or having forerunner – something bend or change. city walls. many parts. fulcrum – the point on that came before. contraption – an odd or complicated device. which a lever rests crease – a mark made by folding or pressing furrow – a long cut in and pivots. something. the ground made by crescent – a curved shape similar to the grooved – having a a plow. shape the moon appears when just a sliver long, narrow cut on its hinge – a joint on a door in the sky. cultivator – a tool or machine used to surface. or gate that allows prepare soil for growing plants. dangle – to hang loosely. hub – the center part of a wheel. it to easily be opened and closed.
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hypothesize – to predict suggest or guess an about w prop – answer or idea. Your happen Industrial Revolution someth guess or suggestion – a time in it again propell is called a hypothesis. history when the else, o blades pyrami economy changed launch – to send or shoot someth anothe move s monum from being centered the air. it. throug linear – forming a line. radical ancient on agriculture and refresh differe medieval – of or relating to the M Egypti handmade goods to feel co which was a time in history from researc industry and machine rested, 500 to 1500. modify – to change rigid – collect manufacturing. energe slant – something for a bent or parallel – being or traveling in th an ang certain slit – a direction and never meeting. to slop philosopher purpose. – a person who stud spoked narrow knowledge, truth, and the meanin that co openin physics – the science of matter an steep – outside pivot – a central part on which taut – s wheel something turns. tine – a tight. part.
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In de x A
cranes, 110 books, projects using, 28–29, agriculture, 16, 55, 60–61, 63 44–45, 50–51 crosswalks, 40 airfoil, 79 crowbars, 20 bottle caps, used as screws, D airplanes, 58, 78–79, 128, 130 9, 72 da Vinci, ancient Egyptians, 37 bottle openers, 22Leonardo, 79 ancient scientists, 6, 7, 11, 73, broom handles, projects C Deere, John, 61 79, 109 can openers, 129, 131 using, 28–29, 124–125 doorknobs, 6, 92 Archimedes, 7, 73, 79, 109 carousels, 93 building entryways, 41 doors, 6, 18, 41, E Archimedes screw, 73, 79, castles, 16 Eiffel Tower, 57, 92, 93, 113 B80–81 catapults, 16 97 doorstops, 57 bagatelle, 42–43 ards, 60–61 cereal containers, 8 elevators, 114– dump trucks, 39 baseball bats, 18, 23 astronomy, 7, 11 chariots, 91 115 F bicycles, 6, 129, 131 fans, 74, 94 axes, 56 Chicago, Illinois, 97 engineering, 7, billard japonais, 43 Ferris, George China, 97 11, 97, 127 biology, 25 cider presses, 76 Washington England, 97 boards, projects using, Gale, Jr., 96–97 clotheslines, 113, 122–123 26–27, 68–69, 70–71, Ferris wheels, compound machines, 6, 10, 142 84–85, 86–87, 88–89, 96–97 20, 92, 110, 126–137 118–119, 120–121, 132–137 project: 132–137fishing rods and boats, 58, 74, 78–79, 95, 110 reels, 128, compound pulleys, 109, 130 120–121
Industrial forks, 6, 65 France, 42, 97, Revolution, J61 114 Japan, 97 G Italy, 7, 11 fulcrums, 8, Galilei, jar lids, 76 16, 17, 18–19, Galileo, 11 John Deere K 20, Goldberg, knives, 9, 56, 65 H21, 22, 23, 25, machinery, 61 Rube, 127, 137 hammers, used L 27, 29, 35 Las Vegas, Neva gum-ball as levers, 21, levers, 7, 8, 16– machines, 77 69 129, 131, 137 Hanging first-class lever Gardens of IBabylon 21, 24, 27, 29 inclined planes, 7, 8, 9, 36– projects: comp and Nineveh, 53, 54, 72, 75, 82 machine, 132– 73 projects: compound balance, 32–35 helicopters, 79 machine, 132–137; force 30–31; lifting hockey sticks, and spring scale, 44–45; 28–29; seesaw 6, 23 marble tracks, 50–51, second-class le hoes, 60 52–53; pinball game,143 20, 22, 27, 29 46–49 third-class leve steepness, 37 23, 27, 29 linkages, 126
wagons, 90–91, 98–99 water wells, 91 wedges, 7, 9, 54–71, 92, 129, screw pump, 73, 79 pulley, 7, 10, 108–125, 129, W 130, 131 seesaws, 8, 18, 27wagons, 90–91, 98– projects: compound 130, 131, 134, 137 machine, 132–137; shark cages, 6 99 projects: broom handles, plow, 62–63; water wells, 91 shoelaces, 10 124–125; clothesline, soap sculpture, 66–67; wedges, 7, 9, 54–71, simple machines discovery, 122–123; compound splitting soap, 64–65; 92, 129, 6, 7, 11, 91 machine, 132–137; wood frame, 68–69; 130, 131 Singapore, 97 wood squares, 70–71 flagpole, 116–117; R wheel and axles, 7, 10, 20, projects: skateboarding ramps, 39 lifting oranges, 120–121; rakes, 23 90–107, 108, 129, 130, 131 compound ski lifts, 111 mini blinds, 118–119 Redgrave, Montague, 43 projects: balloon car, machine, 132– slides, 6, 38 pushpins, 59, 100–101 rock-climbing gear, 111 104–105; bird with 137; soap, projects using, 64–65, pyramids, 37 S roller coasters, 38, 52 moving wings, 102–103; scientific method, 11, 53 plow, 62–63; 66–67 compound machine, scissors, used as levers, 132–137; pinwheel, spirals, 9, 75, 77 soap sculpture, 100–101, 103; wagon, 24–25 T 66–67; sports stadiums, 40 teeth, 57 98–99; water wheel, screws, 7, 9, 72–89, 94, 130 SS Archimedes, 79 splitting soap, 64– 106–107 toilet paper and holders, 94 projects: Archimedes 65; stairs, 41, 75 wheelbarrows, 20 V screw, 80–81; compound wood frame, 68– staplers, 22, 59 vehicles, 39, 61, 90, 91, 95 window blinds, 112, 118–119 machine, 132–137; Wright Brothers, 79 staples, 22, 59 69; different sizes of screws, wood squares, Sumerians, 91 144 84–85; screw press, swivel chairs, 77 70–71 88–89; wood frame, wheel and axles, 7, 86–87; wraparound paper 10, 20, screw, 82–83 90–107, 108, 129, 130, 131 projects: balloon car, 104–105; bird with moving wings, 102–103; compound machine, 132–137; pinwheel, 100–101, 103; wagon, 98–99; water wheel, 106–107 wheelbarrows, 20 window blinds, 112, 118–119 Wright Brothers, 79