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Activity 1: POGIL Mechanisms

Mechanical advantage is a measure of the force amplification achieved by using a tool, mechanical device or machine system, typically composed of one or more simple machines. Ideally, the device preserves the input power and simply trades off forces against movement to obtain a desired amplification in the output force. Machine components designed to manage forces and movement in this way are called mechanisms. An ideal mechanism transmits power without adding to or subtracting from it. This means the ideal mechanism does not include a power source, and is frictionless and constructed from rigid bodies that do not deflect or Figure 1: Aircraft Landing Gear wear. The performance of real systems is obtained from this ideal by using efficiency factors that take into Mechanism account friction, deformation and wear.

C O N C E P T &

E X P E R I M E N T I N G

Linkages

As your group works through this POGIL, it will be helpful to reference Ch. 4: Mechanisms from your PLTW text. Linkages Rigid mechanical components within a mechanism that are linked together such that force is transmitted and motion is controlled are called linkages. There are many types of linkages, though they share common features. For simplicity, linkages are often diagrammed using common schematic symbols (ref. fig 4-2). Gears Gears are toothed wheels that transmit torque smoothly from one shaft to another. Multiple combinations of gears, called gear trains allow an engineer to manipulate input/output rotational speed, torque and rotational direction. Gear ratios, which related the number of revolutions between input and output gears, can be determined using the following equation:

Te Input eth The end to end ratio of a gear train can be found by multiplying the gear ratio for each set of mating gears along the gear train. I.e.

GR =

Te Output eth

GR = GRab GRbc GRcd

Once gear ratios have been determined, one can then determine speed ratios and torque ratios as follows:

SR =

1 0

TR =

1 2

Where refers to the rotational speed and refers to the torque. Torque can be determined by taking the product of the radial arm distance (m) and the perpendicular force:

= rF

Conceptual Problems 1. Identify and differentiate between the common types of linkages. Sketch an simple illustration of each.

2. What are some common uses for linkages?

3. Identify one application of a scissor bar linkage.

4. The mountain bike shown in the image below contains a four bar linkage. Sketch a
simplified schematic of the four bar linkage used in the mountain bike design, using appropriate symbols.

5. Determine the gear ratio of the gear train shown below:

6. Design and sketch a simple three gear train which has an overall gear ratio of 1:12

E X P E R I M E N T I N G KNEX Crank Fan

Build one of the three possible versions (as assigned) of the crank fan KNEX model using the supplied diagrams and illustrations. You will not use all of the parts in the bag your POGIL group has been supplied, but it is imperative that you keep all of the parts together! 1. Observe the mechanical motion of the crank fan. Describe the motion within the fan when you spin the blades by hand, as well as when you cause the blades to spin by turning the hand crank. Make sure you try spinning the crank in both directions. Note your observations below.

2. Design a method by which you can experimentally determine the gear ratio without counting the teeth on the gears (imagine the fans gearbox was enclosed and unobservable). Describe your method below.

3. Test your method, recording all applicable data. Use this data to calculate the
experimental gear ratio.

4. Compare your experimental gear ratio to the actual gear ratio. Calculate your percent error.

5. Does your assigned fan represent a speed-increasing or a speed-decreasing gear ratio? Explain.

6. A student has a medium sized gray gear, and a large yellow gear. Determine the possible gear ratios that the fan constructed by this student could have for both a speed-increasing and speed-decreasing gear configuration.