Exploring Gears

AN INTRODUCTION TO SIMPLE AND COMPOUND GEAR TRAINS

© 2018 Jason Prichard @ The Heterozygoat: A STEM Shop
 Exploring Gears
Name ___________________________________________________ Date ___________________ Period _______

Part 1 – Exploring simple gear trains.

How do I build a car that goes lightening fast? Or a truck that can tow a heavy load? Or an off-road vehicle that can
climb steep terrain? The answer is gears. Gears are used in all kinds of mechanical devices, from robots, cars, and
bicycles to clocks, washing machines, and electric screwdrivers. Understanding how gears work will allow you to build
gear systems you can use to design a device to perform any task you wish to achieve.

In this activity you will explore characteristics of gears, how to assemble gear trains, and the effects gears can have on
speed and torque. You will use the online Gear Generator created by Abel Vincze from Iparigrafika to explore and
experiment. Follow the instructions below.

1. Login to a computer.
2. Go to http://geargenerator.com .
3. Set the Speed (RPM) to 30 and the Connection angle to -60.
4. Experiment with the following gear sizes – 15, 45, and 75.
a. To change the number of teeth on a gear, click on the gear you wish to change so that it is highlighted.
b. Type in the Number of Teeth you want under Gear Properties. Then hit enter.
c. If the gear is too large to fit on the screen, reduce the Scale factor under the Display section on the left
side of your screen. You may have to scroll down to find this. You can also set the Diametral pitch to a
higher number. Diametral pitch is a measure of how many teeth are in every inch of the gear’s
circumference. A higher Diametral pitch will fit more teeth for every inch of circumference on the gear
but will keep the number of teeth the same.

Change
characteristics of
each gear

5. Start by creating a 15-tooth gear.

6. Click on Add New and create a 45-tooth gear. You should now have a 15-tooth gear meshed to a 45-tooth gear.

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 Exploring Gears
7. Press the start button.
8. Count the number of times the 15-tooth gear rotates for each rotation of the 45-tooth gear. The tooth with a
dot on each gear can be used as a reference point when counting the number of rotations of each gear.
9. Record the number of teeth on each gear and the teeth ratio in the data table.
10. Record the number of rotations of each gear and the gear ratio in the data table.
11. Record the speed of the Driver gear and the speed of the driven gear in the data table.
12. Repeat steps 4-7, exploring all other two gear combinations using 15, 45, and 75 tooth gear sizes.
13. Reverse each combination. For example, test a 15-tooth gear connected to a 45-tooth gear. Then test a 45-
tooth gear connected to a 15-tooth gear.
14. Once you have tested all two gear combinations, test some three gear combinations. For example, a 15-tooth
gear connected to a 45-tooth gear connected to a 75-tooth gear.
15. Create a second data table in which to record 1) Drawing of gear combinations, 2) Number of Teeth of the Driver
gear, 3) Number of teeth on the last driven gear, 4) Teeth Ratio, 5) Rotations of Driver gear, 6) Rotations of the
last driven gear, 7) Gear Ratio, 8) Speed of Driver gear, and 9) Speed of last driven gear.

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 Exploring Gears
Name ______________________________________________ Date ____________________ Period ______

Part 1: Gear Ratio Data Table

Drawing of Teeth Teeth Teeth ratio Rotations Rotations Gear ratio Speed Speed
gear pair on on (Driver:driven) of Driver of driven (Driver of of
(Driver,driven) Driver driven gear gear rotations:driven Driver driven
gear gear rotations) gear gear
(RPMs) (RPMs)

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 Exploring Gears
Name ______________________________________________ Date ____________________ Period ______
Part 1: Exploring simple gear trains Analysis and Reflection: USE COMPLETE SENTENCES to answer these questions.

1. What is the relationship between the Teeth Ratios and the Gear Ratios you recorded?

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2. Explain two ways that you can determine a gear ratio between two gears.

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3. What happens to RPMs when a small Driver gear drives a larger driven gear?

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4. What happens to RPMs when a large Driver gear drives a smaller driven gear?

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5. How are Rotations Per Minute (RPMs) or speed of rotation affected by gear ratios?

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6. Look at and compare the gear ratios and speeds recorded for two gear to the gear ratios and speeds recorded
for three gear combinations. What happened to rotation speed when you built a gear train comprised of three
meshed gears? Did using three gears instead of two give any additional benefit in terms of speed? What
happened to the direction that the gears turned? Recreate some of the three gear combinations and observe.
Use the gear ratios and speeds you recorded to explain your answer.

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 Exploring Gears
Name ___________________________________________________ Date ___________________ Period _______

Part 2 – Exploring compound gear trains.

In Part 1 of this activity you learned that:

 Gear ratios are determined by counting the number of times the Driver gear rotates for every rotation of the
driven gear. This can be written as number of Driver rotations:number of driven rotations or
number of Driver rotations / number of driven rotations. For example, a Driver gear rotates 3 times for every 1
rotation of a driven gear can be written as 3:1 or 3/1.
 Gear ratios can also be determined by counting the number of teeth on the Driver gear and on the driven gear,
simplifying this ratio and then inverting the ratio. This can be written as
number of driven teeth:number of Driver teeth or number of driven teeth/number of Driver teeth. For
example, a Driver gear with 15 teeth drives a driven gear with 45 teeth can be written as 15:45 or 15/45. Then
simplify to 1:3 or 1/3. Then invert to 3:1 or 3/1.
 Gear ratios are determined by applying one of the following formulas:

Using rotations Using teeth

Driver gear rotations = gear ratio driven gear teeth = gear ratio
driven gear rotations Driver gear teeth

 RPM speed decreases when a small Driver gear drives a larger driven gear, but torque increases.
 RPM speed increases when a large Driver gear drives a smaller driven gear, but torque decreases.
 Adding a third gear in between the Driver and the last driven gear gives the same resulting gear ratio and output
speed in RPMs. There is no additional benefit by adding a third gear. If anything, there is a negative effect
because adding a third gear adds more friction. The same holds true if you were to add a fourth or fifth gear.

So, if adding gears to the gear train provides no additional benefit, how is it possible to build higher gear ratios – 9:1 or
1:25, or 225:1 or higher? How can I build a gear train that results in a faster output speed? How can I build a gear train
that results in a slower output speed but would have more torque?

The key is compound gears. Compound gears are gears that are fixed together on the same axle and rotate in the same
direction and at the same speed. Compound gears are useful for speeding up or slowing down the final output speed of
a gear train.

In this activity you will use the online Gear Generator created by Abel Vincze from Iparigrafika to explore, construct, and
experiment with compound gear trains. Follow the instructions below.

1. Login to a computer.
2. Go to http://geargenerator.com .
3. Set the Speed (RPM) to 30 and the Connection angle to -60.
4. Experiment with the following gear sizes – 15, 45, and 75.
5. Start by creating a 15-tooth gear.
6. Click on Add New and create a 45-tooth gear. You should now have a 15-tooth gear meshed to a 45-tooth gear
just like you did in Part 1.
7. Click on Add New again and create another 15-tooth gear. You should now have a 15-tooth gear meshed to a
45-tooth gear meshed to a 15-tooth gear.

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 Exploring Gears
8. Now, with the second 15-tooth gear
highlighted, click on the box next to Axle
connection under the Connection
Properties section on the left side of the
screen.

9. Notice that the 15-tooth gear is now connected to the 45-tooth gear on the same axle.

10. Press the Start button and notice that the 15-tooth gear rotates in the same direction and at the same speed as
the 45-tooth gear to which it is connected.

11. Then, with the second 15-tooth gear still highlighted, click on Add New and create a second 45-tooth gear. You
may need to set the Scale factor under the Display section to 50 or lower to see all the gears.

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 Exploring Gears
12. You should now see that the 45-tooth
gear you just created is meshed with the
15-tooth gear that is connected to the
first 45-tooth gear. See image.

13. Congratulations! You have just built a 9:1 gear ratio compound gear train. Just to verify this, click on Start and
count the number of times the 15-tooth Driver gear rotates for one rotation of the last 45-tooth driven gear.
How many times did the 15-tooth gear rotate? _______________

14. Notice that there are two pairs of meshed gears, a 15-tooth gear meshed to a 45-tooth gear and a second 15-
tooth gear meshed to a second 45-tooth gear.

15. What is the gear ratio of the first pair of gears? Click Start and count the number of rotations if you need to or
look at your results from Part 1. Write the gear ratio as a fraction. _______________

16. What is the gear ratio for the second pair of gears? Write it as a fraction. _______________

17. Now multiply these two fractions together. Write this out in the space below.

_______ x _______ = _______

18. What is your final answer? _______________

19. Draw the gear train in the data table. Start with the Driver gear on the left then draw the gear train from left to
right in the space provided.

20. Record the gear ratio for the first pair of gears and the second pair of gears in the data table. Notice you are
given room for up to four pairs of gears. We’ll get to that later.

21. Multiply the two gear ratios together to get the Overall Gear Ratio and record that in the data table.

22. Then record the Input speed of the Driver gear and the Output speed of the final driven gear in the data table.

23. Repeat these steps to build and record data for the following compound gear trains – 15:1, 25:1, 45:1, 75:1, and
225:1.

24. Repeat these steps again but build and record data for the inverse of the gear ratios in step 23 – 1:15, 1:25, 1:45,
1:75, and 1:225.

© 2018 Jason Prichard @ The Heterozygoat: A STEM Shop Page | 7

 Exploring Gears

Name ______________________________________________ Date ____________________ Period ______

Part 2: Compound Gear Ratio Data Table

Drawing of gear train Gear Gear ratio Gear Gear ratio Overall Input Output
(Driver to the left) ratio of of second ratio of of fourth Gear Speed of Speed of
first pair pair third pair pair Ratio Driver final
gear driven
(RPMs) gear
(RPMs)

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 Exploring Gears
Name ______________________________________________ Date ____________________ Period ______
Part 2: Exploring compound gear trains Analysis and Reflection: USE COMPLETE SENTENCES to answer these
questions.

1. The image below shows a 9:1 gear ratio. The 15-tooth gear on axle A is the Driver gear. Describe in detail what
happens when axle A turns.

A B C
15 15

45 45

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2. How many times must axle A turn to turn axle B one time? ________________________________________

3. How many times must axle B turn to turn axle C one time? ________________________________________

4. How many times must axle A turn to turn axle C one time? ________________________________________

5. What would the gear ratio be if the gear on axle C was the Driver gear? Explain why?

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6. What size driven gear would be needed to make a 9:1 ratio if the driver gear had 15 teeth and compound gears
were not used?
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7. How are compound gear ratios calculated using fractions?

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8. How can you build a gear train that results in a faster output speed?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

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9. How can you build a gear train that results in a slower output speed but would have more torque?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

10. When a compound gear ratio is written as a fraction, what happens to the output speed (RPMs) as the
numerator increases? For example, when a compound gear ratio increases from 9/1 to 75/1?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

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11. When a compound gear ratio is written as a fraction, what happens to the output speed (RPMs) as the
denominator increases? For example, when a compound gear ratio decreases from 1/9 to 1/75?

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12. Look at the numbers you recorded for the Overall Gear Ratio and for Input and Output Speeds. What pattern do
you notice between the Overall Gear Ratio and the increase or decrease in speed?

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13. Write an equation or formula that can be used to determine the output speed if you know the Input speed and
Gear Ratio of a gear train.

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 Exploring Gears
Gear Generator Quick Reference Guide – A guide to the features and terminology of Gear Generator.
Controls and Gear Train Window
Features

Parent gear/Driver gear*: Gear connected to a motor which drives the gear train. Gear that drives the next meshed
gear in a gear train. Can also be called the Input gear.

Child gear/driven gear: Gear that is driven by the Driver gear. Can also be called the Output gear.

*I like to capitalize Driver to help students differentiate between Driver and driven gears. This is an important detail to
keep in mind when determining gear ratios using the gear ratio formula.

Animation:

Controls allow the user to Stop, Start, Freeze, or Reset the animation. The tooth with a dot on each gear can be used as
a reference point when counting the number of rotations of each gear.

Speed:

This control sets the speed of the Driver or Parent gear, which is the gear in the top left corner of the gear train window.
Speed is measured in rotations per minute (RPM). The RPMs can be set from 1 to 360 RPMs.

Gears:

Controls allow the user to add new gears, remove selected gears, or
completely clear the gear train window.

To add a gear, click on the gear in the gear train window that you
want to add a gear to so that it is highlighted. Then click the Add
New button. The gear will appear in the selected location.

This feature lists the gears in the gear train starting with the Driver gear (#0) in the upper left corner of the gear train
window. Next to each gear number is the gear ratio acting on that gear and the speed of that particular gear in RPMs.
Clicking on the gear number will highlight the information for that gear and the image of the gear in the gear train
window.

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 Exploring Gears
Connection Properties:

Parent gear #: Identifies the selected gear by number.

Axle connection: Select this option to build compound gear trains. When selected, multiple gears can be
attached to the same axle. First, add a child gear with desired gear properties. Then, while the child gear is
highlighted, select axle connection by clicking on the box. When the X appears in the box the child gear will be
connected to the same axle as the parent gear.

Connection angle: Type in the desired angle at which to mesh gears. I have found anywhere from 0 to -90
degrees works and still keeps most of the gear train visible on the screen.

Gear Properties:

Number of teeth (N): Change the number of teeth on the selected gear by typing in the number or toggling the
buttons.

Pitch diameter (D): Set the diameter of the selected gear. In most cases this is dependent on the settings for
number of teeth and diametral pitch.

Diametral pitch (P): The number of teeth of a gear per inch of its pitch diameter. This value will adjust the
number of teeth per inch on the gear. More teeth per inch will reduce the diameter of the gear and vice versa.

Pressure angle (PA): May be set from values of 12 – 35. This is the angle formed by the tooth face where it
presses against the tooth face of a meshed gear and the tangent of the pitch circle formed by the gear teeth (see
the Gear guides section below).

Free Download:

Individual gears and the entire gearset can be downloaded as Gear CAD file (DXF format), Gear vector image
(SVG format), or Gearset vector image (SVG format). You may be prompted for a donation but can select the
Free option and download the desired file.

Display:

Scale (pixel per unit): Allows the user to zoom in and out on the gear train. This is handy for gears trains that
are too large to fit on the screen.

Grid: Toggle this feature to turn the background grid off and on.

Gear guides: When this feature is selected, three faint lines will appear on each gear – 1) a faint circle around
the very outer edge of the gear teeth, 2) a darker circle that passes through the center of each tooth on the
gear, known as the pitch circle (the diameter of this circle is the diametral pitch), and 3) a faint circle that passes
along the root of each tooth, known as the root circle.

Gear label: Toggle to label the gear properties directly on each gear.

Color theme: Select your favorite color theme.

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 Exploring Gears
Teacher Guide
Learning Goals and Objectives:
Students will…
Part 1:
 Virtually build simple gear trains.
 Record the number of gear rotations of two meshed gears.
 Use ratios to express gear rotations.
 Record the number of teeth on two meshed gears.
 Use ratios to express tooth relationship.
 Derive the formula for determining gear ratios between two meshed gears.
 Record the Input and Output speeds of two meshed gears in rotations per minute (RPMs).
 Explore the effects of increasing and decreasing gear ratios on output speed.

Part 2:
 Virtually build compound gear trains.
 Understand that compound gear trains apply the use of Driver to driven gear pairs, where gears share the same
axle.
 Use fractions to represent gear ratios.
 Multiply fractions to determine compound gear ratios
 Record the Input and Output speeds of compound gear trains in rotations per minute (RPMs).
 Explore the effects of increasing and decreasing gear ratios on output speed.

Time: 2-4 class periods, depending on what you do to introduce the activity (see suggestions in Teacher Guide)

Vocabulary:
Gear, gear train, compound gear, gear ratio, Driver gear, driven gear, input, output, rotations per minute (RPMs), axle,
speed, torque

Lesson Overview:
As a junior high science teacher and robotics coach, I spend a good deal of time teaching kids about gear ratios. My 8 th
graders participate in a program sponsored by SAE called A World In Motion (AWIM). Students are challenged to design
and build a motorized toy car for children aged 6-10 years old using kits provided by SAE. The gear materials provided in
the kits include 15, 45, and 75 tooth gears. Therefore, I have designed this lesson using those sizes of gears. You could
use any size, but I have found these numbers are easy for my students to work with and the kits of gear materials use
these sizes as well.

Materials and Setup:

Computers with internet access
Exploring Gears student handouts
Writing Utensils
Calculators (optional)

Suggested Lesson Sequence:

Prior to this activity –

IMPORTANT: Use the Quick Reference Guide included in this document to familiarize yourself with the function and
features of the Gear Generator simulator prior to implementing with students. The Quick Reference Guide can also be
given to students as a helpful resource.

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 Exploring Gears
This activity can be done with students with various levels of prior knowledge about gears. My junior high students have
a wide range of experience and knowledge about gears, from none to quite a bit. As such, I have found that getting
their hands on some simple devices that use gears helps to pique their interest and get them asking questions.

I recommend doing any of the following to introduce this activity depending on the experience and prior knowledge
base of your students:

 Have a discussion with students about gears and what they are used for.
 Let students play with and observe simple mechanical devices that use gears:
o Mechanical egg beater

o Mechanical pencil sharpener with housing removed

o Mechanical can opener

o Open clock or watch with gears exposed

o Open wind-up toy

o Pull back car with exposed gears or with housing removed

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o Corkscrew

 Have students play with toy gears. Have them mesh two gears of different sizes together and make
observations about what happens to speed and direction of rotation when they spin each one. There are
several options on Amazon:
o Magnetic gears - https://www.amazon.com/Spinning-Gear-Magnets-unit-
Plastic/dp/B072C62CS3/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521562613&sr=8-1-
spell&keywords=gear+toys+magenetic
o Magnetic gears - https://www.amazon.com/Lakeshore-Turn-Learn-Magnetic-
Gears/dp/B004ZAKMD6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1521562724&sr=8-5&keywords=gear+toys+magnetic

While not necessary for this activity, it helps if students have some understanding of speed and how to calculate it using
distance divided by time.

It is also helpful if students have a basic understanding of what torque is. Torque can be defined as measure of the force
that can cause an object to rotate about an axis. This physics definition might not mean much to your students.
Another to explain torque is that greater torque provides a greater force on an object you are trying to move. So if you
have a heavy truck or are trying to tow a heavy boat out to the lake, a vehicle that produces more torque will be able to
tow that boat from a dead stop or up a hill more comfortably and more safely.

Alternatively, these concepts could be explored and expanded upon as a follow-up to this activity after students have
had the opportunity to explore gears. I’ve listed a few resources I have used with students below.

 Have students read excerpts from this article titled “For towing, what's more important, horsepower or
torque?” at How Stuff Works - https://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/towing/towing-
capacity/information/horsepower-versus-torque.htm
 Watch part or all of PBS Physics Crash Course #12 Torque - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-HZ1SZPaQw
 Watch part or all of Bozeman Science Torque - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zrphnd_0VI
 Watch part or all of Torque versus Horsepower from Engineering Explained -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-MH4sf5xkY

During the activity –

Part 1:

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 Exploring Gears
Prior to the activity, make copies of the student handouts for each student. Make a double-sided copy of the data
table so that each student has two data tables, one for two gear combinations, and one for three gear combinations
(see answer key).
1. Open the Gear Generator website on your teacher computer and be ready to project it onto a screen at the
front of the classroom.
2. Distribute the student handouts for Part 1.
3. Review the introduction and purpose for the activity with the students.
4. Read through the procedure and model how to use Gear Generator with students.
5. I recommend walking the class through building the first gearset with a 15-tooth gear meshed with a 45-tooth
gear and filling in the first row of the data table with that gear combination.
6. Then let students open the website and complete the rest of Part 1.
7. I have had students work independently, in pairs, or small groups. I have found pairs to work the best with my
students, but every group is different.
8. As students work, walk around and monitor progress. Students will probably need help with using some of the
controls and features of the website or need help figuring out the ratios, especially when they get to the three
gear combinations.
9. The point of having students explore three gear combinations is for them to see that there is no benefit by
adding a third gear to the gear train. They will end up with the same gear ratios they observed with two gear
combinations.
10. When students are finished exploring and recording data, have them complete the Analysis and Reflection
Questions for Part 1.
11. I always have a student or two that “gets it” and finishes very quickly. Encourage these students to explore gear
options besides 15, 45, and 75-tooth gears. Encourage them to build higher or lower gear ratios. Challenge
them to see how fast or slow they can get the speed. Ask them if there is any benefit to adding a fourth or fifth
gear in the gear train. And have them build it to support or refute their answer.

Part 2:
Prior to the activity, make copies of the student handouts for each student. Make a double-sided copy of the data
table so that each student has two data tables. This will provide them with one side to test high speed gear ratios and
the other side to test low speed/high torque gear ratios (see answer key).

1. Read and review the introduction with students. Make sure that they know and understand the bullet pointed
concepts that they should have attained during Part 1.
2. Explain the purpose and objectives of this part of the exploration to students.
3. Open the Gear Generator website on your teacher computer and be ready to project it onto a screen at the
front of the classroom.
4. Distribute the student handouts for Part 2.
5. Read the procedure and model how to use Gear Generator with students.
6. I recommend walking the class through building the first gearset (a 9:1 gear ratio) and model filling in the first
row of the data table with that gear combination.
7. Then let students open the website on their student computers and complete the rest of Part 2.
8. I have had students work independently, in pairs, or small groups. I have found pairs to work the best with my
students, but every group is different.
9. As students work, walk around and monitor progress. Students might still need help using some of the controls
and features of the website or need help figuring out the gear ratios.
10. Make sure students understand that final compound gear ratios are determined by multiplying the gear ratios,
written as fractions, produced by meshed gears along the gear train.
11. When students are finished exploring and recording data, have them complete the Analysis and Reflection
Questions for Part 2.
12. Encourage students who finish early to explore gear options besides 15, 45, and 75-tooth gears. Encourage
them to build higher or lower gear ratios. Challenge them to see how fast or slow they can get the speed. Ask

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them if there is any benefit to adding a fourth or fifth gear in the gear train. And have them build it to support
or refute their answer.

Follow up activity –
These are just a few ideas for follow up activities depending on time and access to materials.

 Give students time to explore more gear combinations using Gear Generator. Have them use gears with tooth
counts other than 15, 45, or 75. Students can build gear trains with higher or lower gear trains or to perform a
certain number of rotations for a specific purpose.

 Have students conduct a scavenger hunt to find devices that apply the use of compound gearing.

 For an application of gearing concepts, show students this video about compound gear ratios -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-nWzMYohCY&t=234s – In this video the narrator gets more into how the
math can be used to plan out gear ratios for specific purposes, like for a clock. He then builds gears for a clock
out of wood, where the space and tooth count of the gears provides the necessary gear ratio to synchronize the
hour and minute hands of the clock.

 The Learn Engineering Channel on YouTube has some other good videos that describe applications of gears.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqZQJ4600a9wIfMPbYc60OQ
 Have students design and/or build a toy or device that uses gears.

An ANSWER KEY is provided on the next page.

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Name ______________ANSWER KEY_________________ Date ___________________ Period _______

Part 1 – Exploring simple gear trains.

How do I build a car that goes lightening fast? Or a truck that can tow a heavy load? Or an off-road vehicle that can
climb steep terrain? The answer is gears. Gears are used in all kinds of mechanical devices, from robots, cars, and
bicycles to clocks, washing machines, and electric screwdrivers. Understanding how gears work will allow you to build
gear systems you can use to design a device to perform any task you wish to achieve.

In this activity you will explore characteristics of gears, how to assemble gear trains, and the effects gears can have on
speed and torque. You will use the online Gear Generator created by Abel Vincze from Iparigrafika to explore and
experiment. Follow the instructions below.

16. Login to a computer.

17. Go to http://geargenerator.com .
18. Set the Speed (RPM) to 30 and the Connection angle to -60.
19. Experiment with the following gear sizes – 15, 45, and 75.
a. To change the number of teeth on a gear, click on the gear you wish to change so that it is highlighted.
b. Type in the Number of Teeth you want under Gear Properties. Then hit enter.
c. If the gear is too large to fit on the screen, reduce the Scale factor under the Display section on the left
side of your screen. You may have to scroll down to find this. You can also set the Diametral pitch to a
higher number. Diametral pitch is a measure of how many teeth are in every inch of the gear’s
circumference. A higher Diametral pitch will fit more teeth for every inch of circumference on the gear
but will keep the number of teeth the same.

Change
characteristics of
each gear

20. Start by creating a 15-tooth gear.

21. Click on Add New and create a 45-tooth gear. You should now have a 15-tooth gear meshed to a 45-tooth gear.

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22. Press the start button.
23. Count the number of times the 15-tooth gear rotates for each rotation of the 45-tooth gear. The tooth with a
dot on each gear can be used as a reference point when counting the number of rotations of each gear.
24. Record the number of teeth on each gear and the teeth ratio in the data table.
25. Record the number of rotations of each gear and the gear ratio in the data table.
26. Record the speed of the Driver gear and the speed of the driven gear in the data table.
27. Repeat steps 4-7, exploring all other two gear combinations using 15, 45, and 75 tooth gear sizes.
28. Reverse each combination. For example, test a 15-tooth gear connected to a 45-tooth gear. Then test a 45-
tooth gear connected to a 15-tooth gear.
29. Once you have tested all two gear combinations, test some three gear combinations. For example, a 15-tooth
gear connected to a 45-tooth gear connected to a 75-tooth gear.
30. Create a second data table in which to record 1) Drawing of gear combinations, 2) Number of Teeth of the Driver
gear, 3) Number of teeth on the last driven gear, 4) Teeth Ratio, 5) Rotations of Driver gear, 6) Rotations of the
last driven gear, 7) Gear Ratio, 8) Speed of Driver gear, and 9) Speed of last driven gear.

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Answer Key for Two Gear Combinations

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Answer Key for THREE Gear Combinations

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 Exploring Gears
Name ______________________________________________ Date ____________________ Period ______
Part 1: Exploring simple gear trains Analysis and Reflection: USE COMPLETE SENTENCES to answer these questions.

1. What is the relationship between the Teeth Ratios and the Gear Ratios you recorded?

Answers will vary. The ratio of number of teeth on the gears is the inverse of the ratio of the number of
rotations of each gear.____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Explain two ways that you can determine a gear ratio between two gears.

Answers will vary. The number of teeth on the Driver gear and the driven gear can be counted and written
as a ratio or fraction and then inverted. Another way is to count the number of rotations of the Driver
gear and the driven gear and write the numbers of rotations as a ratio or fraction, no inverting required.
3. What happens to RPMs when a small Driver gear drives a larger driven gear?

Answers will vary. When a small Driver gear drives a larger driven gear, the speed of RPMs (rotations per
minute) is reduced. However, the amount of torque is increased. Students may or may not know this
about torque just yet, depending on what they have been exposed to prior to this activity.
4. What happens to RPMs when a large Driver gear drives a smaller driven gear?

Answers will vary. When a large Driver gear drives a smaller driven gear, the speed of RPMs (rotations per
minute) is increased. However, the amount of torque decreased. Students may or may not know this
about torque just yet, depending on what they have been exposed to prior to this activity.
5. How are Rotations Per Minute (RPMs) or speed of rotation affected by gear ratios?

Answers will vary. Rotation speed can be increased by having a larger gear drive a smaller gear. Rotation
speed can be reduced by having a smaller gear drive a larger gear.________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Look at and compare the gear ratios and speeds recorded for two gear to the gear ratios and speeds recorded
for three gear combinations. What happened to rotation speed when you built a gear train comprised of three
meshed gears? Did using three gears instead of two give any additional benefit in terms of speed? What
happened to the direction that the gears turned? Recreate some of the three gear combinations and observe.
Use the gear ratios and speeds you recorded to explain your answer.

Answers will vary. Students should notice that three gear combinations resulted in the same rotational
speeds as the two gear combinations. For example, a 15-tooth gear meshed to a 45-tooth gear results in
the same rotation speed as a 15, 75, and 45 tooth gear train. The third gear provides no additional
increase or decrease in speed. However, students may notice that in a three gear combination the Driver
and last driven gear rotate in the same direction. In a two gear combination, the two gears rotate in
opposite directions. So a third gear could be added to a two gear system in order to control the direction
of rotation or to provide more space between gears if needed.

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Name ___________________________________________________ Date ___________________ Period _______

Part 2 – Exploring compound gear trains.

In Part 1 of this activity you learned that:

 Gear ratios are determined by counting the number of times the Driver gear rotates for every rotation of the
driven gear. This can be written as number of Driver rotations:number of driven rotations or
number of Driver rotations / number of driven rotations. For example, a Driver gear rotates 3 times for every 1
rotation of a driven gear can be written as 3:1 or 3/1.
 Gear ratios can also be determined by counting the number of teeth on the Driver gear and on the driven gear,
simplifying this ratio and then inverting the ratio. This can be written as
number of driven teeth:number of Driver teeth or number of driven teeth/number of Driver teeth. For
example, a Driver gear with 15 teeth drives a driven gear with 45 teeth can be written as 15:45 or 15/45. Then
simplify to 1:3 or 1/3. Then invert to 3:1 or 3/1.
 Gear ratios are determined by applying one of the following formulas:

Using rotations Using teeth

Driver gear rotations = gear ratio driven gear teeth = gear ratio
driven gear rotations Driver gear teeth

 RPM speed decreases when a small Driver gear drives a larger driven gear, but torque increases.
 RPM speed increases when a large Driver gear drives a smaller driven gear, but torque decreases.
 Adding a third gear in between the Driver and the last driven gear gives the same resulting gear ratio and output
speed in RPMs. There is no additional benefit by adding a third gear. If anything, there is a negative effect
because adding a third gear adds more friction. The same holds true if you were to add a fourth or fifth gear.

So, if adding gears to the gear train provides no additional benefit, how is it possible to build higher gear ratios – 9:1 or
1:25, or 225:1 or higher? How can I build a gear train that results in a faster output speed? How can I build a gear train
that results in a slower output speed but would have more torque?

The key is compound gears. Compound gears are gears that are fixed together on the same axle and rotate in the same
direction and at the same speed. Compound gears are useful for speeding up or slowing down the final output speed of
a gear train.

In this activity you will use the online Gear Generator created by Abel Vincze from Iparigrafika to explore, construct, and
experiment with compound gear trains. Follow the instructions below.

25. Login to a computer.

26. Go to http://geargenerator.com .
27. Set the Speed (RPM) to 30 and the Connection angle to -60.
28. Experiment with the following gear sizes – 15, 45, and 75.
29. Start by creating a 15-tooth gear.
30. Click on Add New and create a 45-tooth gear. You should now have a 15-tooth gear meshed to a 45-tooth gear
just like you did in Part 1.
31. Click on Add New again and create another 15-tooth gear. You should now have a 15-tooth gear meshed to a
45-tooth gear meshed to a 15-tooth gear.

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 Exploring Gears
32. Now, with the second 15-tooth gear
highlighted, click on the box next to Axle
connection under the Connection
Properties section on the left side of the
screen.

33. Notice that the 15-tooth gear is now connected to the 45-tooth gear on the same axle.

34. Press the Start button and notice that the 15-tooth gear rotates in the same direction and at the same speed as
the 45-tooth gear to which it is connected.

35. Then, with the second 15-tooth gear still highlighted, click on Add New and create a second 45-tooth gear. You
may need to set the Scale factor under the Display section to 50 or lower to see all the gears.

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 Exploring Gears
36. You should now see that the 45-tooth
gear you just created is meshed with the
15-tooth gear that is connected to the
first 45-tooth gear. See image.

37. Congratulations! You have just built a 9:1 gear ratio compound gear train. Just to verify this, click on Start and
count the number of times the 15-tooth Driver gear rotates for one rotation of the last 45-tooth driven gear.
How many times did the 15-tooth gear rotate? The 15-tooth gear rotates nine times for one rotation of the last
45-tooth gear.

38. Notice that there are two pairs of meshed gears, a 15-tooth gear meshed to a 45-tooth gear and a second 15-
tooth gear meshed to a second 45-tooth gear.

39. What is the gear ratio of the first pair of gears? Click Start and count the number of rotations if you need to or
look at your results from Part 1. Write the gear ratio as a fraction. ______3/1______

40. What is the gear ratio for the second pair of gears? Write it as a fraction. ______3/1______

41. Now multiply these two fractions together. Write this out in the space below.

__3/1__x __3/1__= __9/1__

42. What is your final answer? ______9/1______

43. Draw the gear train in the data table. Start with the Driver gear on the left then draw the gear train from left to
right in the space provided.

44. Record the gear ratio for the first pair of gears and the second pair of gears in the data table. Notice you are
given room for up to four pairs of gears. We’ll get to that later.

45. Multiply the two gear ratios together to get the Overall Gear Ratio and record that in the data table.

46. Then record the Input speed of the Driver gear and the Output speed of the final driven gear in the data table.

47. Repeat these steps to build and record data for the following compound gear trains – 15:1, 25:1, 45:1, 75:1, and
225:1.

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48. Repeat these steps again but build and record data for the inverse of the gear ratios in step 23 – 1:15, 1:25, 1:45,
1:75, and 1:225.

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 Exploring Gears
Answer Key for High Torque/Low Speed Compound Gear Ratios

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 Exploring Gears
Answer Key for LOW Torque/HIGH Speed Compound Gear Ratios

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 Exploring Gears
Name ______________________________________________ Date ____________________ Period ______
Part 2: Exploring compound gear trains Analysis and Reflection: USE COMPLETE SENTENCES to answer these
questions.

1. The image below shows a 9:1 gear ratio. The 15-tooth gear on axle A is the Driver gear. Describe in detail what
happens when axle A turns.

A B C
15 15

45 45

The 15-tooth gear on axle A meshes with the 45-tooth gear on axle B. The 45-tooth gear on axle B turns axle B,
which turns the 15-tooth gear on axle B. The 15-tooth gear on axle B meshes with the 45-tooth gear on axle C.
The 45-tooth gear on axle C turns axle C.

2. How many times must axle A turn to turn axle B one time? Axle A must turn three times to turn axle B.

3. How many times must axle B turn to turn axle C one time? Axle B must turn three times to turn axle C.

4. How many times must axle A turn to turn axle C one time? Axle A must turn nine times to turn axle C one time.

5. What would the gear ratio be if the gear on axle C was the Driver gear? Explain why?

Students may explain this a variety of ways. The gear ratio will be a 1:9 gear ratio. For every turn of axle C, axle A
will turn 9 times. Axle C turns axle B three times. Axle B turns axle C three times. Multiply 3 turns by 3 turns and
the result is 9 turns for axle C.

6. What size driven gear would be needed to make a 9:1 ratio if the driver gear had 15 teeth and compound gears
were not used?

A gear with 15 x 9 or 135 teeth would be needed to get a 9:1 ratio without using compound gears.

7. How are compound gear ratios calculated using fractions?

Find the gear ratio of each pair of meshed gears in a compound gear train. Write each gear ratio as a fraction. Then
multiply the fractions together. The product or resulting fraction is the gear ratio of that compound gear train.

8. How can you build a gear train that results in a faster output speed?

Build a compound gear train where larger Driver gears turn smaller driven gears. This will result in a gear ratio
where the numeral in the denominator increases when the gear ratio is written as a fraction.

9. How can you build a gear train that results in a slower output speed but would have more torque?

Build a compound gear train where smaller Driver gears turn larger driven gears. This will result in a gear ratio
where the numeral in the numerator increases when the gear ratio is written as a fraction.

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10. When a compound gear ratio is written as a fraction, what happens to the output speed (RPMs) as the
numerator increases? For example, when a compound gear ratio increases from 9/1 to 75/1?

Questions 10 and 11 are meant to be similar to questions 8 and 9 above as an additional check for understanding.
As the numerator increases in the gear ratio fraction, the output speed decreases.

11. When a compound gear ratio is written as a fraction, what happens to the output speed (RPMs) as the
denominator increases? For example, when a compound gear ratio decreases from 1/9 to 1/75?

Questions 10 and 11 are meant to be similar to questions 8 and 9 above as an additional check for understanding.
Output speed increases as the denominator in the gear ratio fraction increases.

12. Look at the numbers you recorded for the Overall Gear Ratio and for Input and Output Speeds. What pattern do
you notice between the Overall Gear Ratio and the increase or decrease in speed?

Answers will vary. When a gear train is built for torque (a smaller gear is the Driver gear), the output speed is
reduced. The output speed is the result of dividing the input speed by the numerator of the gear ratio. When a gear
train is built for speed (a larger gear is the Driver gear), the output speed is increased. The output speed is the result
of multiplying the input speed by the denominator of the gear ratio. Some students may notice that the Input
speed can be divided by the gear ratio fraction to get the output speed.

13. Write an equation or formula that can be used to determine the output speed if you know the Input speed and
Gear Ratio of a gear train.

Answers will vary. Students may respond with any or all of the following.

 For torque ratios – Input speed ÷ gear ratio numerator = Output speed
 For speed ratios – Input speed × gear ratio denominator = Output speed
 Write the input speed as a fraction. Then follow the rules for dividing fractions. The equation is like this:
Input speed ÷ gear ratio = Output speed

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