Activity 1.1.4 Sprockets and Pulleys
Conclusion Questions:
1) Automotive engineers design many car engines with timing belts. The timing belts provide vital function to the engine in order to maintain the combustion cycle. What is the specific purpose of a timing belt? Is a timing belt more like a belt and pulley system or more like a sprocket and chain system? Defend your answer. The specific purpose of a timing belt is to open and close valves at the right time and for its teeth to turn an engine's camshaft in time with it's crankshaft. A timing belt is more like a belt and pulley system because although the belt has teeth in it and is connected to a gear chain of sorts, the belt is smooth instead being made of chains.
2) Based on what you know about wheel and axle simple machines, how might you manipulate the size of the axle powering the input pulley or sprocket to harness more speed from the output? Based on what I know about wheel and axle simple machines, I might manipulate the size of the axle powering the input pulley or sprocket to harness more speed from the output by making it larger.
3) When you are climbing a hill on a bike with different speeds, why does it seem like you are pedaling a lot to cover a short distance? What happens if you switch to a higher gear in hopes of not having to pedal as much? When you are climbing a hill on a bike with different speeds, it seems like you are pedaling a lot to cover a short distance because having multiple gears or speeds, means their all connected so ultimately they have the same mechanical advantage and therefore the same amount of pedaling. If you switch to a higher gear in hopes of not having to pedal as much you will find that the mechanical advantage will be the same and therefore the amount of pedaling will be the same.
1) Automotive engineers design many car engines with timing belts. The timing belts provide vital function to the engine in order to maintain the combustion cycle. What is the specific purpose of a timing belt? Is a timing belt more like a belt and pulley system or more like a sprocket and chain system? Defend your answer. The specific purpose of a timing belt is to open and close valves at the right time and for its teeth to turn an engine's camshaft in time with it's crankshaft. A timing belt is more like a belt and pulley system because although the belt has teeth in it and is connected to a gear chain of sorts, the belt is smooth instead being made of chains.
2) Based on what you know about wheel and axle simple machines, how might you manipulate the size of the axle powering the input pulley or sprocket to harness more speed from the output? Based on what I know about wheel and axle simple machines, I might manipulate the size of the axle powering the input pulley or sprocket to harness more speed from the output by making it larger.
3) When you are climbing a hill on a bike with different speeds, why does it seem like you are pedaling a lot to cover a short distance? What happens if you switch to a higher gear in hopes of not having to pedal as much? When you are climbing a hill on a bike with different speeds, it seems like you are pedaling a lot to cover a short distance because having multiple gears or speeds, means their all connected so ultimately they have the same mechanical advantage and therefore the same amount of pedaling. If you switch to a higher gear in hopes of not having to pedal as much you will find that the mechanical advantage will be the same and therefore the amount of pedaling will be the same.