Simple Machines: Concepts + Keywords 

Concepts Related to Simple Machines 

If your class is interested in studying simple machines and you choose to facilitate a simple machine investigation, consider using any 3 or 4 concepts listed below. Choosing a limited number of concepts based on children's interests helps to narrow down the research required by teachers. It also helps teachers shape the investigation by diving deeper into the chosen content instead of feeling pressure to cover all concepts related to the topic. Choosing what's most relevant to the children in your class helps everyone get the most out of the investigation. 

Work
Force + Force Reduction
Compound + Simple Machines
Mechanical Advantage
Gravity
Friction
​Newtons Laws of Motion
Power

Potential + Kinetic Energy
Balanced + Unbalanced Forces
​Inclined Plane
Lever
Wedge
Screw
Wheel + Axle
Pulley

Key Words

• Design: (verb): To plan out in systematic, often graphic form. To create for a particular purpose or effect. Design a building. (noun) A well thought-out plan.
• Engineering: Applying scientific and mathematical principles to practical ends such as the design, manufacture and operation of efficient and economical structures, machines, processes and systems.
• Force: A push or pull on an object.
• Inclined plane: A simple machine that raises an object to greater height. Usually a straight slanted surface and no moving parts, such as a ramp, sloping road or stairs.
• Lever: A simple machine that increases or decreases the force to lift something. Usually a bar pivoted on a fixed point (fulcrum) to which force is applied to do work.
• Mechanical advantage: An advantage gained by using simple machines to accomplish work with less effort. Making the task easier (which means it requires less force), but may require more time or room to work (more distance, rope, etc.). For example, applying a smaller force over a longer distance to achieve the same effect as applying a large force over a small distance. The ratio of the output force exerted by a machine to the input force applied to it.
• Pulley: A simple machine that changes the direction of a force, often to lift a load. Usually consists of a grooved wheel in which a pulled rope or chain runs.
• Pyramid: A massive structure of ancient Egypt and Mesoamerica used for a crypt or tomb. The typical shape is a square or rectangular base at the ground with sides (faces) in the form of four triangles that meet in a point at the top. Mesoamerican temples have stepped sides and a flat top surmounted by chambers.
• Screw: A simple machine that lifts or holds materials together. Often a cylindrical rod incised with a spiral thread.
• Simple machine: A machine with few or no moving parts that is used to make work easier (provides a mechanical advantage). For example, a wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, screw, or pulley.
• Spiral: A curve that winds around a fixed center point (or axis) at a continuously increasing or decreasing distance from that point.
• Tool: A device used to do work.
• Wedge: A simple machine that forces materials apart. Used for splitting, tightening, securing or levering. It is thick at one end and tapered to a thin edge at the other.
• Wheel and axle: A simple machine that reduces the friction of moving by rolling. A wheel is a disk designed to turn around an axle passed through the center of the wheel. An axle is a supporting cylinder on which a wheel or a set of wheels revolves.
• Work: Force on an object multiplied by the distance it moves. W = F x d (force multiplied by distance).​
• Complex machine: A machine that operates by combining two or more of the six simple machines.
• Torque: The result of applying a linear force at the outside of a circular frame to create a turning tendency.​
• Compound pulley: A compound pulley is a combination fixed and movable pulley system.
• Fixed pulley: A fixed pulley is a simple machine that uses a wheel with a groove in it and a rope that fits into the groove. The other end of the rope attaches to a load , or the object you're needing to move.
• Force: Force is a push or pull on an object that can cause acceleration, slow down, remain in place, or change shape. 
• Friction: Force that slows or stops movement between two objects that are in contact with each other.
• Fulcrum: A pivot point around which a lever turns 
• Kinetic energy: The energy an object has because of its motion.​
• Effort: The force applied to make the object move.
• Load:  An amount of something carried. 
• Mass: The amount of matter (i.e., electrons, protons and neutrons) an object contains.
• Movable pulley: A movable or class 2 pulley has an axle that is "free" to move in space. A movable pulley is used to transform forces. A movable pulley has a mechanical advantage of 2. That is, if one end of the rope is anchored, pulling on the other end of the rope will apply a doubled force to the objects attached to the pulley.
• Newtons First Law of Motion: The first law says that any object in motion will continue to move in the same direction and speed unless forces act on it.
• Newtons Second Law of Motion: The second law states that the greater the mass of an object, the more force it will take to accelerate the object. There is even an equation that says Force = mass x acceleration or F=ma.
• Third Law of Motion: The third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means that there are always two forces that are the same. 
• Pivot:  A fixed point supporting something that turns or balances
• Potential energy: The stored energy an object has because of its position or state.  
• Rube Goldberg machine: A complex machine that is designed to carry out simple tasks. A Rube Goldberg machine works with a series of chain reactions that transfer energy through different pulleys, levels, cogs, and more to carry out one final task. 
• Slope: Ground that is not level or flat.
• Balanced forces: These forces occur when two equivalent forces work in opposite directions on a surface. 
• Unbalanced forces:  These forces occur when two forces act in opposite directions on a surface unequal in magnitude and size.