Simple Machines

     A wedge is basically two incline planes put back to back.  They are thick on one end and narrow on the other.  Wedges are driven between two objects to either separate them or secure them.  The input force is applied to the thicker part of the wedge.  The output force is split two different directions and away from the wedge.  The mechanical advantage of a wedge is the length divided by the width, just like with an incline plane.  

     We use wedges a lot in our every day activities.  A triangular doorstop is a wedge.  Axes and chisels are also wedges.

     In our Rube Goldberg style machine, our wedge is used to keep a marble from falling into a funnel.  The wedge is eventually moved and lets the marble fall at the right time.  This wedge is a rectangular piece of plywood.  It is classified as a wedge because it is separating two objects: the marble and the funnel.