Chapter 10: Levers, pulleys and gears

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

• Name the parts of a lever: the pivot, the effort and the load
• Explain that a longer effort arm makes the effort easier, and test this with a fair test
• Explain how a movable pulley makes lifting easier, and how a fixed pulley only changes the direction of the pull
• Explain how a small gear turning a large gear changes speed, and why the large gear turns more slowly
• Choose a mechanism for a job, and give a reason based on evidence

You should already know

• Pushes and pulls, and how forces change things (Year 3 Science, Chapter 9)
• Gravity, friction and resistance (Year 5 Science, Chapter 9)

Where this leads

• Working scientifically, planning and reporting (Year 5 Science, Chapter 1)
• Forces in Year 6 Science, which build on mechanisms