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