Wheel and Axle

A wheel and axle is composed of a wheel and an axle, which is a rod that connects to the wheel. When the rod turns, so does the wheel. The mechanical advantage of a wheel and axle can be calculated by dividing the radius of the wheel by the radius of the axle. The smaller the axle with a bigger wheel, the higher the mechanical advantage, and the more efficient the simple machine is. Wheels and axles are used every day. Almost anything with wheels has a wheel and axle: cars, bicycles, skateboards, helicopters, clocks, doornobs, etc.

In our machine there are two objects with wheels and axles. The model Porsche 918 Spyder has a wheel and axle, and so does the pulley that we use. Lightning McQueen does not have a wheel and axle. We know this because bothe wheels that should be on the same axle do not turn together, therefore they are not connected.

This is an image of two sets of wheels and axles. The rigid pole between the two wheels is the axle. This model happens to be a train car.

Springs

Pulleys

On the left is an image of the wheel and axle that we applied to our Rube Goldberg machine. This model Porsche 918 Spyder was the starting point of the machine. The model Porsche has two sets of wheels and axles. It drove and hit the first domino and was stopped by an incline plane.