Robotics Worksheet: Gears – Speed or Strength
Robot tip (Trade speed for strength): Meshed gears turn opposite ways; in a row, odd-numbered gears turn like gear 1. Small drives big: slower, stronger. Big drives small: faster, weaker. The gear with fewer teeth turns faster. Open belt: same direction. Crossed belt: opposite direction.
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- 1.⚙️ A big gear drives a small gear. The small gear turns … (a) at the same speed (b) faster but weaker (c) slower but stronger (d) not at all
- 2.⚙️ A robot arm must lift a heavy load slowly. The motor’s driver gear meshes with a big gear. What kind of driver gear works best? (a) a small driver gear (b) a big driver gear
- 3.True or false: “the output turns slower” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) True (b) False
- 4.⚙️ What are the bumps round the edge of a gear called? (a) tyres (b) spokes (c) pins (d) teeth
- 5.True or false: “good for a fast fan” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) False (b) True
- 6.True or false: “the output is stronger” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) False (b) True
- 7.True or false: “good for a slow crane” happens when a big gear drives a small one. (a) False (b) True
- 8.⚙️ 3 gears are in a row, each meshed with the next. Gear 1 turns anticlockwise. Which way does gear 3 turn? (a) clockwise (b) anticlockwise
- 9.True or false: “good for a fast fan” happens when a big gear drives a small one. (a) False (b) True
- 10.⚙️ A robot fan must spin very fast. The motor’s driver gear meshes with a small gear. What kind of driver gear works best? (a) a small driver gear (b) a big driver gear
- 11.True or false: “the output is weaker” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) False (b) True
- 12.⚙️ Two gears are meshed together. How do they turn? (a) they do not turn (b) in opposite directions (c) the same direction (d) one up, one down
- 13.⚙️ 6 gears are in a row, each meshed with the next. Gear 1 turns clockwise. Which way does gear 6 turn? (a) anticlockwise (b) clockwise
- 14.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “the output turns slower”? (a) big drives small (b) small drives big
- 15.True or false: “the output turns slower” happens when a big gear drives a small one. (a) True (b) False
- 16.⚙️ The gear fixed to the motor is called the … (a) driven gear (b) driver gear (c) tyre (d) idler gear
- 17.⚙️ Pulley A turns anticlockwise and drives pulley B with a crossed belt (it makes an X). Which way does pulley B turn? (a) clockwise (b) anticlockwise
- 18.⚙️ Pulley A turns anticlockwise and drives pulley B with an open belt (no cross). Which way does pulley B turn? (a) clockwise (b) anticlockwise
- 19.⚙️ A small gear drives a big gear. The big gear turns … (a) faster and weaker (b) at the same speed (c) slower but stronger (d) not at all
- 20.⚙️ Pulley A turns clockwise and drives pulley B with an open belt (no cross). Which way does pulley B turn? (a) anticlockwise (b) clockwise
- 21.True or false: “good for a slow crane” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) False (b) True
- 22.True or false: “the output turns faster” happens when a big gear drives a small one. (a) False (b) True
- 23.True or false: “good for lifting loads” happens when a big gear drives a small one. (a) False (b) True
- 24.⚙️ A 15-tooth driver gear turns a 12-tooth driven gear. Compared with the driver, how does the driven gear turn? (a) at the same speed (b) faster (c) slower
- 25.⚙️ A 40-tooth driver gear turns a 30-tooth driven gear. Compared with the driver, how does the driven gear turn? (a) at the same speed (b) slower (c) faster
- 26.⚙️ Pulley A turns clockwise and drives pulley B with a crossed belt (it makes an X). Which way does pulley B turn? (a) clockwise (b) anticlockwise
- 27.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “the output is weaker”? (a) big drives small (b) small drives big
- 28.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “good for a fast fan”? (a) big drives small (b) small drives big
- 29.⚙️ 2 gears are in a row, each meshed with the next. Gear 1 turns clockwise. Which way does gear 2 turn? (a) anticlockwise (b) clockwise
- 30.⚙️ 7 gears are in a row, each meshed with the next. Gear 1 turns clockwise. Which way does gear 7 turn? (a) clockwise (b) anticlockwise
- 31.⚙️ 5 gears are in a row, each meshed with the next. Gear 1 turns clockwise. Which way does gear 5 turn? (a) anticlockwise (b) clockwise
- 32.⚙️ A 36-tooth driver gear turns a 12-tooth driven gear. Compared with the driver, how does the driven gear turn? (a) slower (b) at the same speed (c) faster
- 33.⚙️ 6 gears are in a row, each meshed with the next. Gear 1 turns anticlockwise. Which way does gear 6 turn? (a) anticlockwise (b) clockwise
- 34.⚙️ 4 gears are in a row, each meshed with the next. Gear 1 turns clockwise. Which way does gear 4 turn? (a) clockwise (b) anticlockwise
- 35.⚙️ A 20-tooth driver gear turns a 40-tooth driven gear. Compared with the driver, how does the driven gear turn? (a) faster (b) at the same speed (c) slower
- 36.⚙️ 3 gears are in a row, each meshed with the next. Gear 1 turns clockwise. Which way does gear 3 turn? (a) clockwise (b) anticlockwise
- 37.⚙️ 5 gears are in a row, each meshed with the next. Gear 1 turns anticlockwise. Which way does gear 5 turn? (a) anticlockwise (b) clockwise
- 38.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “the output turns faster”? (a) big drives small (b) small drives big
- 39.True or false: “the output turns faster” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) False (b) True
- 40.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “good for a racing toy”? (a) small drives big (b) big drives small
Answer key
- faster but weaker
- a small driver gear
- True
- teeth
- False
- True
- False
- anticlockwise
- True
- a big driver gear
- False
- in opposite directions
- anticlockwise
- small drives big
- False
- driver gear
- clockwise
- anticlockwise
- slower but stronger
- clockwise
- True
- True
- False
- faster
- faster
- anticlockwise
- big drives small
- big drives small
- anticlockwise
- clockwise
- clockwise
- faster
- clockwise
- anticlockwise
- slower
- clockwise
- anticlockwise
- big drives small
- False
- big drives small
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