Creating a Compound Machine Using Simple Machines

Research Questions:

• What jobs can simple machines make easier?
• How can simple machines be combined to make a compound machine?

With machines we can do many things that we wouldn’t just do with our own strength. Simple machines are machines that have few or no moving parts. Compound machines are made up of two or more simple machines and can be constructed to make work much simpler!

Materials:

• Small pieces of wood (for levers and wedges)
• Doorstops
• Screws
• Spools
• String
• Paperclips
• Other materials that could be used to construct simple and compound machines

Experimental Procedure:

1. Research the different simple machines, their functions, how they make tasks easier, and find real-world examples.
2. Now, think of an everyday task that could be made simpler with the use of a machine. Describe the task and how the use of a machine would simplify it.
3. Design a compound machine using at least two simple machines. Draw a detailed illustration of your machine, labeling the simple machines.
4. From your design, create your compound machine and try it out. Did it work? Did it make your task easier?

Terms/Concepts: Force; Simple machine; Compound machine

References:

http://science.pppst.com/simplemachines.html

http://www.edheads.org/activities/simple-machines/index.htm