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