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.🪝 A winch has a wheel of radius 9 cm and an axle of radius 3 cm. What effort on the wheel lifts a 450 N bucket on the axle, in newtons? (ideal)
- 2.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one makes you pull 2× rope? (a) a movable pulley (b) a fixed pulley
- 3.🪝 A winch has a wheel of radius 20 cm and an axle of radius 5 cm. What effort on the wheel lifts a 600 N bucket on the axle, in newtons? (ideal)
- 4.🪝 A wheel and axle is a big wheel fixed to … (a) a sharp wedge (b) a loose rope (c) a flat ramp (d) a smaller rod (axle)
- 5.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one needs effort = load? (a) a fixed pulley (b) a movable pulley
- 6.🪝 A bucket weighing 400 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 630 N load with an effort of 210 N. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 8.🪝 A pulley system has 1 rope section holding up the load. To lift the load by 4 m, how many metres of rope must you pull?
- 9.🪝 A load of 320 N hangs from a pulley system in which 4 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 10.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one hangs on the rope loop? (a) a fixed pulley (b) a movable pulley
- 11.🪝 A winch has a wheel of radius 6 cm and an axle of radius 3 cm. What effort on the wheel lifts a 280 N bucket on the axle, in newtons? (ideal)
- 12.🪝 A winch has a wheel of radius 40 cm and an axle of radius 5 cm. What effort on the wheel lifts a 320 N bucket on the axle, in newtons? (ideal)
- 13.🪝 A pulley system lifts a 320 N load with an effort of 160 N. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 14.🪝 More rope sections holding a load means … (a) the load floats (b) more effort needed (c) less effort needed (d) no change
- 15.🪝 A well winch has a handle (wheel) of radius 12 cm turning an axle of radius 3 cm. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 16.🪝 A bucket weighing 130 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 17.🪝 A pulley system lifts a 280 N load with an effort of 70 N. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 18.True or false: a fixed pulley rises with the load. (a) False (b) True
- 19.🪝 A pulley system lifts a 160 N load with an effort of 80 N. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 20.🪝 What does a single fixed pulley change? (a) the size of the load (b) gravity (c) the direction of pull (d) the colour of rope
- 21.🪝 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)
- 22.🪝 A pulley system has 2 rope sections holding up the load. To lift the load by 2 m, how many metres of rope must you pull?
- 23.🪝 A load of 480 N hangs from a pulley system in which 2 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 24.True or false: a movable pulley only changes direction. (a) True (b) False
- 25.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one rises with the load? (a) a movable pulley (b) a fixed pulley
- 26.🪝 A load of 840 N hangs from a pulley system in which 4 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 27.🪝 A winch has a wheel of radius 4 cm and an axle of radius 1 cm. What effort on the wheel lifts an 800 N bucket on the axle, in newtons? (ideal)
- 28.🪝 A bucket weighing 230 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 2 rope sections holding up the load. To lift the load by 3 m, how many metres of rope must you pull?
- 30.🪝 A pulley system lifts a 120 N load with an effort of 30 N. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 31.🪝 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)
- 32.🪝 A well winch has a handle (wheel) of radius 16 cm turning an axle of radius 4 cm. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 33.🪝 A pulley system has 4 rope sections holding up the load. To lift the load by 6 m, how many metres of rope must you pull?
- 34.True or false: a movable pulley needs effort = load. (a) False (b) True
- 35.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one is on a flagpole top? (a) a fixed pulley (b) a movable pulley
- 36.🪝 A well winch has a handle (wheel) of radius 8 cm turning an axle of radius 2 cm. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 37.🪝 A well winch has a handle (wheel) of radius 15 cm turning an axle of radius 5 cm. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 38.🪝 A pulley system lifts a 260 N load with an effort of 130 N. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 39.🪝 A pulley system lifts a 280 N load with an effort of 140 N. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 40.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one halves the effort? (a) a fixed pulley (b) a movable pulley
Answer key
- 150
- a movable pulley
- 150
- a smaller rod (axle)
- a fixed pulley
- 400
- 3
- 4
- 80
- a movable pulley
- 140
- 40
- 2
- less effort needed
- 4
- 130
- 4
- False
- 2
- the direction of pull
- 100
- 4
- 240
- False
- a movable pulley
- 210
- 200
- 230
- 6
- 4
- 500
- 4
- 24
- False
- a fixed pulley
- 4
- 3
- 2
- 2
- a movable pulley
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