33. Wheels
What are wheels?
Moveable pieces of furniture have wheels, which help to make them easier to move. Like bearings, wheels make movement easier by reducing friction. A wheel stays in place thanks to the axle in its center. This is also what makes wheels different from bearings.
Pushing a wheelbarrow is made easier by their one wheel. The rotation of the wheel reduces the fraction produced when the wheelbarrow is pushed forwards. The bolt attached to the center of the wheel acts as an axle. The axle is used to keep the wheel connected to the body of the wheelbarrow.
Wheels reduce the amount of friction produced when moving furniture or objects.
Wheels make moving heavy things easier. Even a school child can move a heavy object by themselves if the object has wheels. Without wheels, this would be impossible. Wheels are used in many kinds of moveable objects.
Wheels are used in many kinds of moveable objects.
Pulley
Pulleys are wheels that are attached to ropes. The wheel of the pulley contains a groove. The rope moves along this groove. The pulley is used to change the direction of the rope. Pulleys are often seen in flagpoles and in sailboats. Pulleys reduce the amount of friction produced when pulling a rope. This makes pulling the rope easier.
Pulleys reduce the friction produced when pulling a rope.
Zip lines also make use of pulleys. These pulleys have to be both light and durable. The pulley moves along the rope and reduces the amount of friction produced.
Pulleys can be used in zip lines and in wells.
Axle wheels
When a wheel and an axle are combined into one solid object, the result is an axle wheel. The steering wheel of a car is an example of an axle wheel. The axle of the steering wheel controls the car's front wheels. The axle wheel is a kind of a rotating lever.
Axle wheels are also used in old faucets. Nowadays, faucets mostly use levers to control water flow.
Steering wheels and faucets make use of the axle wheel.
Axle wheels can also be used to wind things. A large wheel has to be rotated for a longer distance than the axle itself, but rotating it requires less energy.
A winch is an example of an axle wheel. The "wheel" of the wich is actually a lever that is rotated like a wheel.
Winches also make use of the axle wheel.
Terminology
| Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
| wheel | A circular object that rotates around an axle. |
| pulley | A wheel that is attached to a rope and reduces the amount of friction produced. |
| axle wheel | A device that combines a wheel and an axle. E.g. a steering wheel. |