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 wheel and axle is a big wheel fixed to … (a) a loose rope (b) a flat ramp (c) a sharp wedge (d) a smaller rod (axle)
- 2.🪝 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)
- 3.True or false: a movable pulley hangs on the rope loop. (a) False (b) True
- 4.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one rises with the load? (a) a movable pulley (b) a fixed pulley
- 5.🪝 A bucket weighing 40 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 6.🪝 A pulley system has 4 rope sections holding up the load. To lift the load by 8 m, how many metres of rope must you pull?
- 7.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one halves the effort? (a) a fixed pulley (b) a movable pulley
- 8.True or false: a movable pulley halves the effort. (a) True (b) False
- 9.🪝 A load of 570 N hangs from a pulley system in which 3 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 10.True or false: a fixed pulley stays in one place. (a) True (b) False
- 11.🪝 More rope sections holding a load means … (a) no change (b) the load floats (c) more effort needed (d) less effort needed
- 12.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one is on a flagpole top? (a) a movable pulley (b) a fixed pulley
- 13.🪝 A pulley system lifts a 270 N load with an effort of 90 N. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 14.🪝 A pulley system lifts a 520 N load with an effort of 130 N. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 15.🪝 A bucket weighing 140 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 16.🪝 A well winch has a handle (wheel) of radius 9 cm turning an axle of radius 3 cm. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 17.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one only changes direction? (a) a fixed pulley (b) a movable pulley
- 18.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one stays in one place? (a) a movable pulley (b) a fixed pulley
- 19.🪝 A winch has a wheel of radius 2 cm and an axle of radius 1 cm. What effort on the wheel lifts a 380 N bucket on the axle, in newtons? (ideal)
- 20.🪝 What does a single fixed pulley change? (a) the colour of rope (b) the size of the load (c) gravity (d) the direction of pull
- 21.🪝 A bucket weighing 460 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 22.True or false: a fixed pulley only changes direction. (a) True (b) False
- 23.🪝 A well winch has a handle (wheel) of radius 6 cm turning an axle of radius 3 cm. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 24.🪝 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)
- 25.🪝 A well winch has a handle (wheel) of radius 24 cm turning an axle of radius 4 cm. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 26.🪝 A winch has a wheel of radius 24 cm and an axle of radius 4 cm. What effort on the wheel lifts a 1200 N bucket on the axle, in newtons? (ideal)
- 27.🪝 A load of 810 N hangs from a pulley system in which 3 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 28.🪝 A bucket weighing 490 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 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)
- 30.🪝 A well winch has a handle (wheel) of radius 3 cm turning an axle of radius 1 cm. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 31.🪝 A winch has a wheel of radius 32 cm and an axle of radius 4 cm. What effort on the wheel lifts a 160 N bucket on the axle, in newtons? (ideal)
- 32.True or false: a fixed pulley hangs on the rope loop. (a) True (b) False
- 33.🪝 A pulley system has 4 rope sections holding up the load. To lift the load by 10 m, how many metres of rope must you pull?
- 34.🪝 A load of 540 N hangs from a pulley system in which 2 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 35.🪝 A well winch has a handle (wheel) of radius 32 cm turning an axle of radius 4 cm. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 36.🪝 A pulley system lifts a 160 N load with an effort of 40 N. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 37.🪝 A bucket weighing 480 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 38.🪝 A bucket weighing 370 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 39.🪝 A bucket weighing 190 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.True or false: a fixed pulley halves the effort. (a) False (b) True
Answer key
- a smaller rod (axle)
- 290
- True
- a movable pulley
- 40
- 32
- a movable pulley
- True
- 190
- True
- less effort needed
- a fixed pulley
- 3
- 4
- 140
- 3
- a fixed pulley
- a fixed pulley
- 190
- the direction of pull
- 460
- True
- 2
- 330
- 6
- 200
- 270
- 490
- 500
- 3
- 20
- False
- 40
- 270
- 8
- 4
- 480
- 370
- 190
- False
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