WEEK 5 AND WEEK 6: SSS2 SECOND TERM LESSON NOTE

TOPIC: SIMPLE MACHINE

SIMPLE MACHINES

An arrangement by which work can be done conveniently on a load or against a resistance is known as
machine

Simple machine is a machine in its simplest form. They are devices that use energy to do work. The
work is being done by the machine when a small effort is used to overcome a large resistance.

A machine can be define as a tool or devices that allows a force (or effort) applied to one point to
overcome a resisting force (or load) at another point.

Simple machine can be classified into different categories namely the lever, the pulley, the inclined
plane, the wedge, the wheel and axle, the screw, the hydraulic press.

Some common examples of simple machines are, scissors, drill brace, the shovel (a form of lever), the
pulley at the top of a flagpole, the steering wheel of an automobile (a form of wheel and axle), and the
wheelchair ramp (a form of inclined plane). An everyday example of a complex machine is the can
opener, which combines a lever (the hinged handle), a wheel and axle (the turning knob), and a wedge
(the sharpened cutting disk).

SCISSORS DRIL BRACE AND BITS

Mechanical advantage/Force ratioof a machine is defined as the ratio of the load to the effort.

If the laod is bigger than the effort, the mechanical Advantage is greater than one.
 In pratice,all machines have some friction in them and this reduces the efficiency. Part of the work put
into a machine is thus always wasted in overcoming friction and in moving some parts of the machine.
Thus, no machine is hundred percent (100%) efficient.

Velocity Ratio of a machine is defined as the distance moved by the effort to the distance moved by the
load.

EFFICIENCY OF A MACHINE

The efficiency of a machine is defined as the ratio of work obtained from the machine to work put into
the machine expressed in percentage.

It also defined as the ratio of work output of the machine to the total work input expressed in
percentage.

Efficiency = Work output X 100%

Workinput

DERIVATION OF THE FORMULA -

The efficiency of a machine can be determined by taking ratio of the work output to work input of the
machine or its velocity ratio and mechanical advantage.

Therefore:

Efficiency (E) = Workoutput x 100%

Workinput

Efficiency (E) = Work done in load x 100%

Work done in effort

Since Work = force x distance

Efficiency (E) = Load(L) x distance moved by load(dL) x 100%

Effort(e) x distance moved by effort( )
 Therefore E

Therefore E

Mechanical advantage (M.A) =

Efficiency (E) = Mechanical Advantage x 100%

Velocity Ratio
Example 1:

A system of lever with velocity ratio 30 overcomes resistance of 2500 Newton when an effort of 125
Newton is applied to it, calculate

(a) The mechanical advantage of the system.

(b) It’s efficiency.

SOLUTION:

Lever and pulley

LEVER: In a lever the relative positions of force(F), Effort(e) and Load(L) may vary and this leads to
different types of lever. The lever operates on the principle of moment.

FIRST ORDER LEVER: In first order lever, the fulcrum is between the load and the effort e.g crowbar, claw
hammer, pliers, scissors, see-saw e.t.c
 F

Y X

E
L

taking moment about F gives;

clockwise moment = anticlockwise moment

Y x L=X x E

SECOND ORDER LEVER: In second order lever, the load is between the effort and the fulcrum. E.g
wheelbarrow, bottle opener, nut cracker

L
THIRD ORDER LEVER: In third order lever, the effort is between the load and fulcrum. E.g Forearm of a
human being, tongs e.t.c

F L

SUGAR TONG

PULLEYS: Types of pulley

MOVABLE PULLEY
FIXED PULLEY

T
:
T

T
T

E L L
A simple pulley is a fixed wheel with a rope passing round a groove in its rim. A load is attached to one
end of the rope while effort is applied at the other end. If there is no friction, load is equal to the effort
which is equal to the tension in the rope.

L =T =E, therefore M.A =V.R

For a block and tackle or systems of pulley of n pulleys, the velocity ratio is equal to the number of
pulley.

Velocity ratio = number of pulley = n

VELOCITY RATIO = NUMBER OF PULLEYS =N

A system of pulley is used for lifting loads. They are used by builders for hauling heavy loads to high
floors or in loading and unloading ships.

CALCULATIONS:

Example 1. The velocity ratio and efficiency of a system of pulleys are 6 and 80% respectively. How
much effort is required to lift a load of mass 120kg with this system? [g = 10ms -1]

SOLUTION:

V.R = 6, Efficiency = 80%, Load = 1200N, e = ?

Calculating M.A,
EVALUATION:

1. A pulley system with a velocity ratio of 6 is used to raise a load of 80N through a vertical

height of 16m,

i. Draw a diagram of this arrangement

ii. Calculate the effort required in the system, if its efficiency is 70%.
iii. Calculate the workdone.

SUB-TOPIC 2: Inclined plane and hydraulic press.

INCLINED PLANE:

An inclined plane is a sloping surface used for pulling or pushing a load up, rather than lifting them
vertically.
E

θ L

HYDRAULIC PRESS:

Hydraulic press is a device used to produce a very large force to compress or lift up a heavy load. It is
used in the printing press where a large force presses the type with ink on it against the paper. Pressure
is transmitted equally to all parts of a liquid at the same level.

EFFORT
E R =radius of large
piston
L
r = radius
A1
of small A2
piston
If A1 is the area of small piston and A2 area of the large piston, pressure(P) is transmitted equally at the
same level, then

P= , E = P X A1

P= A2

Therefore a small effort lifts a large load.

If x and y are the distances moved by E and L respectively, A1x = A2y

CALCULATIONS:

Example 2. An inclined plane of angle 150 is used to raise a load of 4500N through a height of 2m. If the
plane is 75% efficient, calculate i. Velocity ratio of the plane ii. Work done on the load

SOLUTION:

1. = 150, Load = 4500N, Distance moved by load = 2m, efficiency = 75%

ii. Workdone on the load = Load x distance moved by load

Workdone on the load = 4500 x 2 = 9000J.

Example 3. In a hydraulic press, a force of 40N is applied to the smaller piston of area 10cm 2. If the area
of the large piston is 200cm2, calculate the force obtained.

SOLUTION:
 = 800N

EVALUATION:

A man pulls up a box of mass 70kg using an inclined plane of effective length 5m onto a platform
2.5m high at uniform speed. If the frictional force between the box and the plane is 100N, draw the

diagram of all the forces acting on the box when in motion and calculate the

i. Minimum effort applied in pulling up the box

ii. Velocity ratio of the plane
iii. Mechanical advantage of the plane
iv. Efficiency of the plane
v. Energy lost in the system
vi. Work output of the man
vii. Total power developed by the man given that the time taken to raise the box onto the
platform is 50s. ( g = 10m/s2)
SCREW, WHEEL AND AXLE, GEAR.

Screw

Screw, mechanical fastening device consisting essentially of an inclined plane wound spirally around a
cylinder or a cone. The ridges formed by the winding planes are called threads, and depending on the
intended use, the threads may be square, triangular, or rounded in cross section.
PARTS OF A SCREW THREAD

A screw thread is made of the following parts:

 1. Thread or Lead: Is the distance along the screw's axis that is covered by one complete

rotation of the screw (360°).

2. Pitch: The distance between two corresponding points on adjacent threads

3. Plane or Start : It can be Single-start or double-start.Single-start- means that there is only one
"ridge" wrapped around the cylinder of the screw's body.Double-start" -means that there are two
"ridges" wrapped around the cylinder of the screw's body Each time that the screw's body rotates one
turn (360°), it has advanced axially by the width of two ridges.

Another application of the screw is Screw jack , Ratchet brace.

When a screw is turned through one complete revolution by the application of an effort ( on the screw
head, using the handle of the ratchet brace, or the Tommy bar of the screw jack), the load moves a
distance equal to the pitch(P), which is the distance between consecutive threads.

R = Radius of the screw or length of the handle of the ratchet brace of length of the tommy bar.

WHEEL AND AXLE

A wheel and axle is really two machines in one because it consists of a wheel mounted rigidly upon an
axle or drum of smaller diameter, the wheel and the axle having the same axis.

The wheel & axle device is similar to the lever simple machine. The wheel acts as the lever and the axle
acts as a fulcrum. The lever applies force to the fulcrum, causing something to move.
If a rope is fixed onto the wheel and wound round it, leaving a free end where an effort E is to be
applied, the rope attached to the axle is wound round in the opposite direction and the load attached to
the free end, For each complete rotation of the wheel, there is one complete rotation of the axle.

Let a and b be the radii of the wheel and axle respectively. Then

Applications of the wheel and axle are:

steering wheel of an automobile
Doorknob
windlass.
treadmill
windmill
waterwheel

GEAR:

Gear is a toothed wheel or cylinder used to transmit rotary or reciprocating motion from one part of a
machine to another. Two or more gears, transmitting motion from one shaft to another, constitute a
gear train.
Gear work on the wheel and axle principle. If toothed wheel A drives wheel B resulting in turning
forces,

GENERAL EVALUATION:

A screw jack whose pitch is 4.4mm is used to raise a body of mass 8000kg through a height of
20cm. The length of the tommy bar of the jack is 70cm. If the efficiency of the jack is 80%,
calculate the:
i. velocity ratio of the jack. ii. Mechanical advantage of the jack
iii. Effort required in raising the body. Iv. Work done by the effort in raising the body
2
(g = 10m/s ,