Levers, linkages and gears
Mechanisms are how designers trade one thing for another: distance for force, speed for torque.
Part of your national curriculum
- Technical knowledge: Understand how mechanical systems such as levers, linkages and gears create movement and change forces
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Understand how mechanical systems such as levers, linkages and gears create movement and change forces
Key learning points
- • Levers
- • Linkages
- • Gears
This lesson at a glance
- 25 minutes
- 17 parts to scroll through
- 3 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 17
Visual introductionPicture this
Levers, linkages and gears
Mechanisms are how designers trade one thing for another: distance for force, speed for torque.
In a nutshell
Understand how mechanical systems such as levers, linkages and gears create movement and change forces
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 17
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Part 1 · Levers
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 17
Learn
Levers
A lever pivots at a fulcrum. Move the fulcrum closer to the load and a smaller effort lifts it — but the effort has to travel further. Nothing is free; you trade distance for force.
Reset break
Part 4 of 17
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Explore the idea
Part 5 of 17
Learn
Linkages
Linkages change the direction or type of movement. A reverse-motion linkage turns a push into a pull; a bell crank turns horizontal motion into vertical.
Quick check
Part 6 of 17
Quick check
Part 7 of 17
Reset break
Part 8 of 17
Pause
That's sitting 2 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Learning cycle
Part 9 of 17
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Part 2 · Gears
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 10 of 17
Learn
Gears
A small driver gear turning a large driven gear slows the output but increases turning force. The gear ratio is the number of teeth on the driven gear divided by the driver.
Quick check
Part 11 of 17
Reset break
Part 12 of 17
Pause
That's sitting 3 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Challenge round
Part 13 of 17
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Challenge round
Part 14 of 17
Game · Fill the gaps
Finish the sentences
Choose the word that belongs in each gap.
____ change the direction or type of movement.
Challenge round
Part 15 of 17
Game · Recall cards
What is a fulcrum?
Card 1 of 4
Mastery quiz
Part 16 of 17
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: Levers, linkages and gears
4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. What is a fulcrum?
2. What does a linkage mainly do?
3. What happens when a small gear drives a larger gear?
4. Moving a fulcrum closer to the load means…
Lesson round-up
Part 17 of 17
Lesson round-up
Ready when you are
Quiz score
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Points this lesson
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Best run
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Luna: 0 out of 3 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?
Ask LunaPart 1 of 17 · Watch & discover
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Understand how mechanical systems such as levers, linkages and gears create movement and change forces