Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Blog #5- Simple Machines @ home

We had an assignment to search our house and find an example on each simple machine that we use daily without even knowing it.
This is a bottle opener that is a lever, I found it in the drawer in my kitchen. It makes opening bottles easier by applying an upward force.

This is a a screw that fits under the category of screw. I found it in my dad's shop along with many other screws. It makes it easier to go into a surface by transferring the downward force of the screwdriver into a turning force.

This is a tire off of my dad's John Deere 4020 which is a wheel and axle. I found this in my dad's barn attached to the tractor. It makes it easier to move because it has the ability to roll surfaces. This is a pulley found on a grain dryer. i found it attached to the front of the dryer in my dad's barn. It makes it easier to dry grain because the pulley is attached to a fan which drys he grain.This is a ramp which is an example of an inclined plane. I found it in the same barn I found the wheel and axle and pulley. It makes work easier by increasing the distance the distance an object must go but with a further distance it requires less force.



This is a chef's knife that is also a wedge i found it in my kitchen's knife rack. A knife makes work easier by taking a downward force into a diagonal left and right force to make it easier to cut through things.


It is can be really easy to go through life without knowing what what simple machine really make it up. Next time you use something stop and think to yourself what simple machine is in this.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Blog #4-Inclined plane, wedge, screw



An inclined plane is a sloped flat surface used to break upward or downward movement into smaller more comfortable movements. Although it is not flat stairs are inclined planes with foot holes cut into them.










A wedge is two inclined planes placed back to back. A wedge takes a downward force and breaks it into a sideways force. It can make work easier by breaking the work into smaller increments. Even though it is composed of two things it is not a compound machine because it only uses one machine. Wedges are found in many cutting things like knives.










A screw is a inclined plane wrapped around a cylinder. A screw can makes work easier by turning a small rotation into a much larger driving force. You can find a screw in the screws that hold up your wall.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Blog #3-Levers, Wheel & Axle, Pully




Levers are composed of a load, fulcrum, and effort. They are three classes of levers with the only difference being the position of the parts. A lever can be used to magnify an applied force. A example of a lever could be a see-saw where the fulcrum is the center balance and the effort and load are the children.












Wheel and Axles are composed of a wheel with the axle in the middle. the main misconception of a wheel is that it doesn't have to be round. The main use for a wheel and axle is that it makes it easier to move an object. In a door knob the the axle is the part the knob the spins on, the fulcrum is where the knob is connected to the stem part.












Pulleys are used to change the direction of an applied force. A box and tackle pulley makes it easier to pick up a heavier load but the rope used to pull it up must travel a further distance. In a crane the effort is the crane pulling the load which is the object being lifted up and the fulcrum is where it changes direction.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Blog #2-Project Runway

I made a necklace that was made out of the belt of tie-rack. I raped wires around the belt to put more color in it. I got my inspiration by seeing the shape of the belt. It was originally going to be a headpiece but when it kept falling down on my neck I changed it into a necklace modeled off of a spiked dog color. The only simple machine I used was a pulley which helps to lift things up off of the ground. You can find other pulleys in a stage curtain assembly, flag pull, or the engine of a car.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Blog #1-About Me


My name is Luke, I have a sister named Kate. My favorite thing is to watch Indianapolis Colts games. I also enjoy going up to the lake with my family and ride our jet ski. In my free time I like to play my X-box, my favorite game is Call of Duty and hang out with my friends.In the winter I play on my school's basketball team.