Simple machines

Simple machines make the things we use in everyday life function. Engineers use and combine simple machines to design complex devices to make our lives easier!

Simple machines are basic devices that help accomplish physical tasks with few or no moving parts. 

The five most common simple machines:

• inclined plane

•  screw jack

• lever

• pulley

•  wheel and axle

Simple machines make work easier, but they do not decrease the amount of work you have to do. 

Simple machines are designed to change the magnitude/direction of the force (remember, work = force x distance), making the task easier to perform.

Remember that in closed systems the total amount of energy is conserved. A machine cannot increase the amount of energy you put into it. 

A simple machine can change the amount of force you must apply to an object, and the distance over which you apply the force. In most cases, a simple machine is used to reduce the amount of force you must exert to do work. 

The downside is that you must exert the force over a greater distance because the product of force and distance, i.e. work, does not change.

These simple machines provide the mechanical advantage of the design and then engineers combine multiple simple machines to create more advanced tools like cars, bicycles, medical devices, and 3D printers.