WORK, POWER and SIMPLE MACHINES basic concepts

WORK

            A force acting over a distance to move something is the definition of work.  In order for any work to be done there must be movement.

     Work= force x distance

The formula for work is:

     Work=N∙M  or Joule (J)

POWER

            Power is the rate at which work is done, or the amount of work per unit of time.

The formula for power is:

      Power = work         OR   power=force x distance

                    Time                                    Time

Power is measured in watts and they are named after James Watt (inventor of the first steam engine).

            Watts(w)=1J/S

One thousand watts is equal to one kilowatt (kw).  The electric company measures the electric power used in your home in kwh.  Horsepower is the power that one horse could do = 745.56 w,  originally it was the power necessary for a strong horse to move a 750N object one meter in one second.  Horsepower is commonly used to measure the power of engines and motors.

MACHINES

            Machines are devices that help us to do work easier!  Some examples of early machines are stones (used for tools), tree branches (pry up heavy objects), carts with wheels (carry objects).  Machines make work easier because they change the size or the direction of the applied force.  So, in other words, machines either lessen the amount of force you have to apply and/or they change the direction and distance an object has to move.  There are always two forces involved when using machines to do work.

            Effort force (F_E)   and   Resistance force (F_R)

(F_E) effort force is force that is applied to a machine.

(F_R) resistance force is force applied by a machine.

(D_E) effort distance is the distance through which a machine moves or distance through which the effort force is applied to a machine.

(D_R) resistance distance is the distance through which the resistance force is applied or the distance through which the object moves.

(W_I) work input is work done on a machine equal to the effort force times the distance through which the force is applied.

             (W_O) work output is work that is done by a machine equals resistance force times the distance through which the force is applied.

                                    Formula for work input         W_I=F_E x D_E

                                    Formula for work output       W_O=F_R x D_R

Work output (W_O) can never be greater than the work input (W_I). Although machines make work easier, they do not multiply work.

MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE & EFFICIENCY

            Mechanical Advantage is the number of times a machine multiplies the force.

            Formula for mechanical advantage is:

                                    Mechanical Advantage = Force of resistance \ Force of effort

                                                MA = F_R/F_E

Sample Problems:  If a crowbar allows you to exert only 20 newtons of force to raise a

200 newton object, what would its mechanical advantage be?

                                    MA = F_R/F_E

                                    MA = 200N / 20 N

                                    MA = 10.0     (There is NO Unit for MA)

The mechanical advantage of a machine can be greater than one, equal to one, or less than one.  It depends on how it changes the force you apply.

Efficiency is the comparison of work output to work input and is always expressed as a

percentage. 

                        Efficiency = (Work output/ Work input) x 100

                                    E= (W_O x W_I) x 100

The efficiency of a machine can NEVER be greater than 100!  Machines always have parts that rub on something, so you always loose some effort to overcome FRICTION.

Due to this, no matter how much effort force you put into a machine you can never get a greater work output from the machine!

                                               

INCLINED PLANES

            A slanted surface used to raise an object is called an inclined plane.  When an inclined plane is used a smaller effort force is required to move the object but the object is moved over a greater distance.

            The formula for finding the mechanical advantage of an inclined plane is:

                        MA= length of the plane / height

            The length of an inclined plane can never be shorter than its height!  Therefore, the mechanical advantage of an inclined plane is always more than one. 

SCREW

The threads of a screw are like an incline plane wrapped around a cylinder to form a spiral.  The closer the threads of a screw are the greater the mechanical advantage of the screw, because the longer the incline plane.

WEDGE

            A wedge is an inclined plane that moves.  The longer and thinner the wedge is, the effort force is required to do work.

            A kind of wedge is an inclined plane, double wedge and single wedge.  The use for these wedges are to cut, split or fasten.  (a tack, a nail, a knife, an axe and a chisel).

LEVERS

            The formula for levers is:  MA = effort arm force / resistance arm length

Resistance is the object moved and effort is the force placed.

SYMBOLS:  F=fulcrum   R=resistance    E=effort

Resistance = object moved           Fulcrum = pivoting point           Effort = force is placed

 Some examples of levers are a bottle opener, a fishing pole, a seesaw, a broom, a pair of pliers, and a wheelbarrow.

WHEEL AND AXLE

            A lever that rotates in a circle is a wheel and axle.  A wheel and axle is made of two wheels of different sizes.  The axle is the smaller wheel.  The effort force is applied to the wheel.  Some examples of wheels and axles used everyday are a ferris wheel, wheel chair and the wheels of a car.

            The formula for the mechanical advantage of a wheel and axle is:

                                    MA= radius of wheel

                                             radius of axle

            A small force on the wheel produces a larger force on the axle.  A large movement of the wheel edge produces a small movement of the axle.

PULLEYS

            A pulley is a chain, belt or rope wrapped around a wheel.  Pulleys can change either the direction and/or amount of effort force.

TYPES OF PULLEYS:

            FIXED PULLEY:  a fixed pulley is a pulley that is attached to a stationary object (wall, ceiling, etc.).  A fixed pulley can not multiply effort force, but it can change the direction of the force which might make life easier.

                        The mechanical advantage of a fixed pulley is one.

                        Effort force = resistance force

            MOVEABLE PULLEYS:  a moveable pulley is suspended from a rope and can move with the effort force.  Moveable pulleys can multiply effort force but they cannot change direction of effort force.

                        The mechanical advantage of a moveable pulley is greater than one.  To find the mechanical advantage of a pulley system you would count the number of supporting sections of rope.

            The two parts of a pulley are the rope and the grooved wheel.  Some examples of everyday pulleys are an elevator, a crane, or window shades.