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