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.
NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
- 1.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “the output turns faster”? (a) small drives big (b) big drives small
- 2.⚙️ A 40-tooth driver gear turns an 8-tooth driven gear. Compared with the driver, how does the driven gear turn? (a) slower (b) at the same speed (c) faster
- 3.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “the output turns slower”? (a) big drives small (b) small drives big
- 4.True or false: “good for lifting loads” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) False (b) True
- 5.⚙️ A 15-tooth driver gear turns a 10-tooth driven gear. Compared with the driver, how does the driven gear turn? (a) faster (b) at the same speed (c) slower
- 6.⚙️ The gear fixed to the motor is called the … (a) driver gear (b) idler gear (c) tyre (d) driven gear
- 7.⚙️ A big gear drives a small gear. The small gear turns … (a) slower but stronger (b) not at all (c) at the same speed (d) faster but weaker
- 8.⚙️ 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
- 9.⚙️ What are the bumps round the edge of a gear called? (a) teeth (b) pins (c) spokes (d) tyres
- 10.⚙️ 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
- 11.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “good for a racing toy”? (a) small drives big (b) big drives small
- 12.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “the output is weaker”? (a) big drives small (b) small drives big
- 13.⚙️ An 8-tooth driver gear turns a 20-tooth driven gear. Compared with the driver, how does the driven gear turn? (a) faster (b) slower (c) at the same speed
- 14.⚙️ A 20-tooth driver gear turns an 8-tooth driven gear. Compared with the driver, how does the driven gear turn? (a) slower (b) faster (c) at the same speed
- 15.⚙️ 6 gears are in a row, each meshed with the next. Gear 1 turns clockwise. Which way does gear 6 turn? (a) clockwise (b) anticlockwise
- 16.True or false: “the output turns faster” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) True (b) False
- 17.True or false: “the output is stronger” happens when a big gear drives a small one. (a) True (b) False
- 18.⚙️ 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
- 19.True or false: “the output turns slower” happens when a big gear drives a small one. (a) True (b) False
- 20.⚙️ 4 gears are in a row, each meshed with the next. Gear 1 turns clockwise. Which way does gear 4 turn? (a) anticlockwise (b) clockwise
- 21.⚙️ A 24-tooth driver gear turns a 20-tooth driven gear. Compared with the driver, how does the driven gear turn? (a) slower (b) faster (c) at the same speed
- 22.⚙️ 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
- 23.⚙️ A 20-tooth driver gear turns a 40-tooth driven gear. Compared with the driver, how does the driven gear turn? (a) at the same speed (b) slower (c) faster
- 24.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “good for lifting loads”? (a) big drives small (b) small drives big
- 25.⚙️ 7 gears are in a row, each meshed with the next. Gear 1 turns anticlockwise. Which way does gear 7 turn? (a) clockwise (b) anticlockwise
- 26.⚙️ Two gears are meshed together. How do they turn? (a) one up, one down (b) the same direction (c) in opposite directions (d) they do not turn
- 27.⚙️ 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
- 28.⚙️ A small gear drives a big gear. The big gear turns … (a) not at all (b) at the same speed (c) faster and weaker (d) slower but stronger
- 29.⚙️ A 24-tooth driver gear turns a 10-tooth driven gear. Compared with the driver, how does the driven gear turn? (a) slower (b) at the same speed (c) faster
- 30.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “the output is stronger”? (a) big drives small (b) small drives big
- 31.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “good for a fast fan”? (a) small drives big (b) big drives small
- 32.⚙️ 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
- 33.⚙️ 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
- 34.True or false: “good for a fast fan” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) False (b) True
- 35.⚙️ 2 gears are in a row, each meshed with the next. Gear 1 turns anticlockwise. Which way does gear 2 turn? (a) clockwise (b) anticlockwise
- 36.True or false: “the output turns slower” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) True (b) False
- 37.True or false: “the output is stronger” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) True (b) False
- 38.True or false: “good for a fast fan” happens when a big gear drives a small one. (a) False (b) True
- 39.⚙️ 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
- 40.True or false: “good for a racing toy” happens when a big gear drives a small one. (a) False (b) True
Answer key
- big drives small
- faster
- small drives big
- True
- faster
- driver gear
- faster but weaker
- a small driver gear
- teeth
- clockwise
- big drives small
- big drives small
- slower
- faster
- anticlockwise
- False
- False
- anticlockwise
- False
- anticlockwise
- faster
- a big driver gear
- slower
- small drives big
- anticlockwise
- in opposite directions
- clockwise
- slower but stronger
- faster
- small drives big
- big drives small
- clockwise
- anticlockwise
- False
- clockwise
- True
- True
- True
- anticlockwise
- True
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