Wheels and Axles

Purpose of Wheels and Axles:

Wheels and axles are most often used to help move heavy objects and as modes of transportation.

Examples of Wheels and Axles:

        Cars, roller conveyor belts, lawn mowers, wagons.

How to use Wheels and Axles:

• It takes less force to push a wheeled object than to slide a non-wheeled object. 

• Larger wheels tend to keep turning for a longer time.

• An outside wheel must roll a greater distance on a turn than an inside wheel.

• Wheels on separate axles turn corners easily because each wheel rolls as far as it needs to roll.

• Wheels do not have to roll on the ground to be effective.

• Wheels can be used as rollers to reduce friction. (Figure 1)

• Not all wheels are solid disks.

• In a winch, the wheel is the circular path traced in the air by the crank handle.  This wheel turns an axle which winds a rope or cable to lift or lower a load. (Figure 2)

• The larger the circle traced by the crank handle on a winch, the smaller the force needed to lift the load.

Figure 1                                        Figure 2

LEGO® DACTA, Teacher guide 9626 Wheels and Axles (1998).

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