Pulley

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/pulley

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the historical documentation?First documented by Aristotle in ancient Greece around the 4th century BCE
2. What is the key engineering principle?Leverage and force redirection to reduce the effort required to lift loads
3. How does a single fixed pulley help us lift heavy things?A fixed pulley only changes the direction of the pull, so you can pull down and lift up, but it doesn't make the load lighter.
4. Why do movable pulleys make it easier to lift heavy loads?A movable pulley is attached to the load; it doubles the rope length needed but halves the pulling force, giving a 2:1 mechanical advantage.

Block and Tackle: A pulley system comprising two or more pulleys used to lift heavy objects with less force.
Friction: The resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another.
Load: The weight or resistance that a machine is designed to overcome or support.