Pulleys and Wheel and Axle Worksheet
Engineer's tip (Count the ropes): Fixed pulley: changes direction, effort = load. Pulley system: effort = load ÷ supporting rope sections; rope pulled = lift height × that number. Wheel and axle: MA = wheel radius ÷ axle radius; effort = load ÷ MA.
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- 1.True or false: a fixed pulley rises with the load. (a) True (b) False
- 2.🪝 A bucket weighing 420 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 3.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one only changes direction? (a) a movable pulley (b) a fixed pulley
- 4.🪝 A well winch has a handle (wheel) of radius 24 cm turning an axle of radius 4 cm. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 5.🪝 A wheel and axle is a big wheel fixed to … (a) a sharp wedge (b) a smaller rod (axle) (c) a flat ramp (d) a loose rope
- 6.🪝 A bucket weighing 440 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 7.🪝 A pulley system lifts a 220 N load with an effort of 110 N. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 8.🪝 More rope sections holding a load means … (a) less effort needed (b) the load floats (c) no change (d) more effort needed
- 9.True or false: a movable pulley halves the effort. (a) False (b) True
- 10.True or false: a movable pulley stays in one place. (a) False (b) True
- 11.🪝 A load of 260 N hangs from a pulley system in which 2 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 12.🪝 A well winch has a handle (wheel) of radius 20 cm turning an axle of radius 4 cm. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 13.🪝 A pulley system has 1 rope section holding up the load. To lift the load by 6 m, how many metres of rope must you pull?
- 14.🪝 A bucket weighing 290 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 15.🪝 A load of 300 N hangs from a pulley system in which 2 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 16.True or false: a movable pulley needs effort = load. (a) True (b) False
- 17.🪝 A bucket weighing 470 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 18.🪝 A load of 120 N hangs from a pulley system in which 3 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 19.🪝 A bucket weighing 500 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 20.🪝 A pulley system lifts a 360 N load with an effort of 90 N. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 21.True or false: a movable pulley rises with the load. (a) False (b) True
- 22.🪝 A pulley system lifts a 200 N load with an effort of 50 N. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 23.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one needs effort = load? (a) a movable pulley (b) a fixed pulley
- 24.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one rises with the load? (a) a movable pulley (b) a fixed pulley
- 25.🪝 A bucket weighing 330 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 26.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one stays in one place? (a) a fixed pulley (b) a movable pulley
- 27.🪝 A load of 400 N hangs from a pulley system in which 4 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 28.🪝 A bucket weighing 310 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 29.🪝 A pulley system has 1 rope section holding up the load. To lift the load by 8 m, how many metres of rope must you pull?
- 30.🪝 A pulley system lifts a 40 N load with an effort of 20 N. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 31.True or false: a movable pulley hangs on the rope loop. (a) False (b) True
- 32.🪝 A load of 200 N hangs from a pulley system in which 4 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 33.🪝 A bucket weighing 70 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 34.🪝 What does a single fixed pulley change? (a) gravity (b) the size of the load (c) the direction of pull (d) the colour of rope
- 35.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one makes you pull 2× rope? (a) a movable pulley (b) a fixed pulley
- 36.🪝 A winch has a wheel of radius 16 cm and an axle of radius 2 cm. What effort on the wheel lifts a 1040 N bucket on the axle, in newtons? (ideal)
- 37.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one halves the effort? (a) a fixed pulley (b) a movable pulley
- 38.🪝 A load of 630 N hangs from a pulley system in which 3 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 39.🪝 A bucket weighing 100 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 40.🪝 A load of 760 N hangs from a pulley system in which 4 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
Answer key
- False
- 420
- a fixed pulley
- 6
- a smaller rod (axle)
- 440
- 2
- less effort needed
- True
- False
- 130
- 5
- 6
- 290
- 150
- False
- 470
- 40
- 500
- 4
- True
- 4
- a fixed pulley
- a movable pulley
- 330
- a fixed pulley
- 100
- 310
- 8
- 2
- True
- 50
- 70
- the direction of pull
- a movable pulley
- 130
- a movable pulley
- 210
- 100
- 190
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