Classic STEM Project: Pulleys

<p>Welcome to the Pulley STEM Classic! In this project, you will learn that pulleys are found in many everyday applications and often help provide a mechanical advantage.</p>

<p><img alt="" src="/api/storage/uploads/legacy-images/suzmwgvr5i0r8tlwxsdmt636vhkf/20240617_153956.jpg" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /></p>

<p>In this section, you will learn about vocabulary related to pulleys and the tools used in this project.</p>

<p>Vocabulary:</p>

<p>Effort: the force that is applied to pull the rope<br />
Load: the mass that is lifted or supported on the pulley<br />
Mechanical Advantage: the factor by which a simple machine reduces the effort needed to lift an object<br />
Newtons: a unit of force<br />
Displacement: the distance the object moves (can be rope or the mass!)<br />
Work: measured in joules; the force (in Newtons) multiplied by displacement (in meters).<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tools:&nbsp;</p>

<p></p>

<p>Pulley Block: the pulley block is a simple machine that has a grooved wheel which allows a rope to move through it. The swivel allows it to turn freely. Make sure you are putting the rope over the wheel to take advantage of the wheel! Note the support bar across the bottom (opposite the swivel). This will come into use later as an attachment point!&nbsp;</p>

<p></p>

<p>Spring Scale: This scale measures in both grams and Newtons. Below is a video discussing how to zero your spring scale and where to read your measurements!</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div style="position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-top: 56.2500%;
padding-bottom: 0; box-shadow: 0 2px 8px 0 rgba(63,69,81,0.16); margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.9em; overflow: hidden;
border-radius: 8px; will-change: transform;"><iframe allow="fullscreen" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" loading="lazy" src="https://www.canva.com/design/DAGIyS4Gbd0/VsYZTIZ1i1YaEy1UCnp37g/watch?embed" style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0; left: 0; border: none; padding: 0;margin: 0;"></iframe></div>

<p><a href="https://www.canva.com/design/DAGIyS4Gbd0/VsYZTIZ1i1YaEy1UCnp37g/watch?utm_content=DAGIyS4Gbd0&amp;utm_campaign=designshare&amp;utm_medium=embeds&amp;utm_source=link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">STEM Classics: Zero the Spring Scale</a> by Jim Stith</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Now that we have learned a little bit about the tools and vocabulary, let&#39;s look at a practical application of a pulley!</p>

<p>In this step, you will learn about how a pulley is set up as well as some basic applications for pulleys.&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Nj4J7QNeBNk?si=tAAYCMDt2Y1nXeP-" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>Now that we have learned a little about pulleys, let&#39;s look at how to set up our pulleys and what data we need to collect!</p>