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 bucket weighing 60 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 2.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one is on a flagpole top? (a) a fixed pulley (b) a movable pulley
- 3.🪝 A bucket weighing 360 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 4.🪝 A load of 900 N hangs from a pulley system in which 3 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 5.🪝 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)
- 6.🪝 A well winch has a handle (wheel) of radius 3 cm turning an axle of radius 1 cm. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 7.🪝 A wheel and axle is a big wheel fixed to … (a) a flat ramp (b) a smaller rod (axle) (c) a sharp wedge (d) a loose rope
- 8.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one stays in one place? (a) a movable pulley (b) a fixed pulley
- 9.🪝 A load of 460 N hangs from a pulley system in which 2 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 10.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one makes you pull 2× rope? (a) a fixed pulley (b) a movable pulley
- 11.🪝 A well winch has a handle (wheel) of radius 5 cm turning an axle of radius 1 cm. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 12.True or false: a fixed pulley stays in one place. (a) False (b) True
- 13.🪝 A bucket weighing 300 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 14.🪝 More rope sections holding a load means … (a) no change (b) the load floats (c) more effort needed (d) less effort needed
- 15.🪝 A pulley system lifts an 80 N load with an effort of 40 N. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 16.🪝 A winch has a wheel of radius 3 cm and an axle of radius 1 cm. What effort on the wheel lifts a 420 N bucket on the axle, in newtons? (ideal)
- 17.🪝 A well winch has a handle (wheel) of radius 24 cm turning an axle of radius 4 cm. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 18.🪝 What does a single fixed pulley change? (a) the direction of pull (b) the size of the load (c) gravity (d) the colour of rope
- 19.True or false: a fixed pulley rises with the load. (a) False (b) True
- 20.🪝 A bucket weighing 50 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 21.True or false: a movable pulley only changes direction. (a) False (b) True
- 22.🪝 A load of 840 N hangs from a pulley system in which 3 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 23.🪝 A winch has a wheel of radius 10 cm and an axle of radius 5 cm. What effort on the wheel lifts a 140 N bucket on the axle, in newtons? (ideal)
- 24.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one hangs on the rope loop? (a) a movable pulley (b) a fixed pulley
- 25.🪝 A pulley system has 3 rope sections holding up the load. To lift the load by 10 m, how many metres of rope must you pull?
- 26.🪝 Fixed or movable pulley: which one rises with the load? (a) a fixed pulley (b) a movable pulley
- 27.True or false: a movable pulley is on a flagpole top. (a) True (b) False
- 28.🪝 A well winch has a handle (wheel) of radius 30 cm turning an axle of radius 5 cm. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 29.True or false: a fixed pulley makes you pull 2× rope. (a) True (b) False
- 30.True or false: a fixed pulley needs effort = load. (a) False (b) True
- 31.🪝 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?
- 32.🪝 A load of 140 N hangs from a pulley system in which 2 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 33.True or false: a fixed pulley hangs on the rope loop. (a) False (b) True
- 34.True or false: a movable pulley halves the effort. (a) False (b) True
- 35.🪝 A load of 100 N hangs from a pulley system in which 2 rope sections hold up the load. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulleys)
- 36.🪝 A bucket weighing 30 N is lifted with a single fixed pulley at the top of a well. What effort is needed, in newtons? (ideal pulley, no friction)
- 37.🪝 A pulley system has 1 rope section holding up the load. To lift the load by 7 m, how many metres of rope must you pull?
- 38.🪝 A well winch has a handle (wheel) of radius 12 cm turning an axle of radius 3 cm. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
- 39.🪝 A winch has a wheel of radius 5 cm and an axle of radius 1 cm. What effort on the wheel lifts a 450 N bucket on the axle, in newtons? (ideal)
- 40.🪝 A pulley system lifts a 200 N load with an effort of 100 N. What is its mechanical advantage (MA)?
Answer key
- 60
- a fixed pulley
- 360
- 300
- 500
- 3
- a smaller rod (axle)
- a fixed pulley
- 230
- a movable pulley
- 5
- True
- 300
- less effort needed
- 2
- 140
- 6
- the direction of pull
- False
- 50
- False
- 280
- 70
- a movable pulley
- 30
- a movable pulley
- False
- 6
- False
- True
- 4
- 70
- False
- True
- 50
- 30
- 7
- 4
- 90
- 2
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