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.True or false: “the output is weaker” happens when a big gear drives a small one. (a) False (b) True
- 2.True or false: “good for lifting loads” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) False (b) True
- 3.True or false: “good for a racing toy” happens when a big gear drives a small one. (a) False (b) True
- 4.⚙️ What are the bumps round the edge of a gear called? (a) teeth (b) spokes (c) tyres (d) pins
- 5.⚙️ Pulley A turns anticlockwise and drives pulley B with an open belt (no cross). Which way does pulley B turn? (a) clockwise (b) anticlockwise
- 6.⚙️ The gear fixed to the motor is called the … (a) tyre (b) idler gear (c) driver gear (d) driven gear
- 7.True or false: “good for a fast fan” happens when a big gear drives a small one. (a) True (b) False
- 8.⚙️ 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
- 9.True or false: “good for lifting loads” happens when a big gear drives a small one. (a) True (b) False
- 10.True or false: “the output is stronger” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) True (b) False
- 11.⚙️ 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 big driver gear (b) a small driver gear
- 12.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “the output turns faster”? (a) big drives small (b) small drives big
- 13.⚙️ A 16-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 16-tooth driver gear turns a 12-tooth driven gear. Compared with the driver, how does the driven gear turn? (a) slower (b) faster (c) at the same speed
- 15.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “the output is weaker”? (a) small drives big (b) big drives small
- 16.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “good for a racing toy”? (a) big drives small (b) small drives big
- 17.True or false: “the output turns faster” happens when a big gear drives a small one. (a) False (b) True
- 18.True or false: “good for a slow crane” happens when a big gear drives a small one. (a) False (b) True
- 19.True or false: “the output is weaker” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) False (b) True
- 20.⚙️ 2 gears are in a row, each meshed with the next. Gear 1 turns clockwise. Which way does gear 2 turn? (a) clockwise (b) anticlockwise
- 21.⚙️ 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
- 22.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “good for a slow crane”? (a) big drives small (b) small drives big
- 23.⚙️ A 30-tooth driver gear turns a 36-tooth driven gear. Compared with the driver, how does the driven gear turn? (a) faster (b) at the same speed (c) slower
- 24.⚙️ 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
- 25.True or false: “good for a fast fan” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) True (b) False
- 26.True or false: “the output is stronger” happens when a big gear drives a small one. (a) True (b) False
- 27.True or false: “the output turns slower” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) False (b) True
- 28.⚙️ Pulley A turns clockwise and drives pulley B with a crossed belt (it makes an X). Which way does pulley B turn? (a) anticlockwise (b) clockwise
- 29.True or false: “good for a racing toy” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) True (b) False
- 30.⚙️ 4 gears are in a row, each meshed with the next. Gear 1 turns anticlockwise. Which way does gear 4 turn? (a) clockwise (b) anticlockwise
- 31.⚙️ A 15-tooth driver gear turns a 36-tooth driven gear. Compared with the driver, how does the driven gear turn? (a) slower (b) at the same speed (c) faster
- 32.⚙️ Pulley A turns clockwise and drives pulley B with an open belt (no cross). Which way does pulley B turn? (a) anticlockwise (b) clockwise
- 33.⚙️ 2 gears are in a row, each meshed with the next. Gear 1 turns anticlockwise. Which way does gear 2 turn? (a) anticlockwise (b) clockwise
- 34.⚙️ Pulley A turns anticlockwise and drives pulley B with a crossed belt (it makes an X). Which way does pulley B turn? (a) anticlockwise (b) clockwise
- 35.True or false: “the output turns faster” happens when a small gear drives a big one. (a) False (b) True
- 36.⚙️ Two gears are meshed together. How do they turn? (a) one up, one down (b) in opposite directions (c) the same direction (d) they do not turn
- 37.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “good for lifting loads”? (a) small drives big (b) big drives small
- 38.⚙️ A 16-tooth driver gear turns a 40-tooth driven gear. Compared with the driver, how does the driven gear turn? (a) slower (b) faster (c) at the same speed
- 39.⚙️ Which gear set-up gives this: “the output is stronger”? (a) small drives big (b) big drives small
- 40.⚙️ 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
Answer key
- True
- True
- True
- teeth
- anticlockwise
- driver gear
- True
- faster but weaker
- False
- True
- a small driver gear
- big drives small
- slower
- faster
- big drives small
- big drives small
- True
- False
- False
- anticlockwise
- slower but stronger
- small drives big
- slower
- anticlockwise
- False
- False
- True
- anticlockwise
- False
- clockwise
- slower
- clockwise
- clockwise
- clockwise
- False
- in opposite directions
- small drives big
- slower
- small drives big
- anticlockwise
Free robotics lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/robotics-for-kids