Central Luzon State University

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija

Name: Regina Grace I. Oficiar Date Submitted: October 25, 2021

ABE 110 – Introduction to Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

Exercise No. 3 – Simple Machines

INTRODUCTION

A machine is any device that either increases or regulates the effect of a force or
produces motion. All agricultural machines are composed of combinations and
modifications of two basic machines, the lever and the inclined plane.
Lever is a rigid bar, straight or curved, capable of being rotated around a fixed
point
called fulcrum. There are three classes of levers: class one, two and three. The
mechanical
advantage for class one lever is the ratio of the lengths of the two arms.

OBJECTIVES
1. Describe simple machines.
2. Describe where simple machines are used.
3. Apply the principles of simple machines to solve problems.

PROCEDURES:
1. Define/describe the following:
a. Lever and its three classes.
b. Wheel and axle
c. Pulley
d. Inclined plane
e. Screw
2. Solve the given problems.
PROBLEMS: (Show your detailed computations)
2.1 How much weight can a 140 pounds person lift with a class one lever if the force
arm is 4 ft long and the resultant arm is 1 ft long?
2.2 How many kilograms can a 100-kilogram man lift with a class two lever if the
force arm is 5 feet long and the resultant arm is 1.5 feet long?
 2.3 How many pounds of force would it take for a class three lever to develop 230
pounds of resultant force if applied force arm is 18 and ¼ inches, and the resultant
force arm is 36 and 7/8 inches?
2.4 A total weight of 100 pounds is to be lifted using an inclined plane. Determine the
amount of force that would be required if the height is 2.0 ft and the length of the
inclined plane is 12.0 ft.
2.5 What is the maximum amount of weight that could be pulled up an inclined plane
if the force is limited to 50.75 pounds, the inclined plane is 12.25 feet long, and
the height is 54 inches?
2.6 How much force will it take to lift a 10 pounds weight with a wheel and axle if
the axle is 2 inches in diameter and the wheel is 10 inches in diameter?
2.7 How much pull (F) would it take on the block and tackle rope to lift a 545 pounds
engine?
2.8 If the lever arm of a screw is 18 inches long and the pitch of the threads is 0.125
inch, how much weight will the jack lift if 50 pounds of force is applied at the end
of the lever arm ignoring friction?

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This part as discusses the different types of simple machines as well as the
complete solutions to the questions given.

1. The following discusses and illustrate different types of simple machine:

A. LEVER AND ITS THREE CLASSES
A lever is a type of simple machine wherein a bar or board that rests on a support
called a fulcrum. A downward force exerted on one end of the lever can be transferred
and increased in an upward direction at the other end, allowing a small force to lift a
heavy weight. Example of this is wheelbarrow, scissors tongs etc.

Three Classes of Lever:

 CLASS 1
The fulcrum in Class One Lever is placed between the effort and load. The
movement of the load is in the opposite direction of the movement of the effort.
Example of class one lever is scissor because the fulcrum of the scissor is located
between the effort and the load.

 CLASS 2
 In Class 2 lever the load is in between the effort and the fulcrum. In this
class of lever, the movement of the load is in the same direction of the effort.
Finally, the length of the effort arm is always greater than the length of the load
arm. Best example of Class 2 lever is wheelbarrow because the load is located
between the effort and the fulcrum.

 CLASS 3
The effort is in between the load and the fulcrum. Both the effort and load
are in the same direction. Note that the length of the load arm goes all the way to
the fulcrum and is always greater than the length of the effort arm in a Class 3
lever. Also, load in a Class 3 lever moves in the same direction as the effort,
example of this is fishing rod wherein its effort is located between the load and
the fulcrum.

B. WHEEL AND AXLE

The wheel and axle consist of a round disk, or what we called wheel, that can
make our task easier especially in manipulating force with a rod through the center of it,
known as the axle. This type of simple machine uses angular momentum and torque to do
work on objects, typically against the force of gravity. The wheel and axle simple
machine are closely related to gears. A doorknob is one of the examples of this, because
the knob represents the wheel and the central shaft through the door represents the axle.
The knob requires application of less force to turn the knob than what's needed to turn
the shaft by itself.
C. PULLEY
A pulley is a wheel that carries a flexible rope, cord, cable, chain, or belt attached
towards the rim. Pulleys are used to transmit energy and motion, either alone or in
combination. Pulleys with grooved rims are called sheaves. In belt drive, pulleys are
attached to shafts at their axes, and power is transferred between the shafts by endless
belts flowing over the pulleys. Pulleys are generally used to lift objects, especially heavy
objects. The object lifted by a pulley is called the load, an example of this is an elevator
which uses multiple pulleys in order to function.

D. INCLINED PLANE
An inclined plane is an even surface sloping at any angle between vertical and
horizontal. Instead of lifting the entire weight vertically, part of the weight is supported
by the inclined plane. Inclined planes make it easier to lift something. There are two ways
to raise an object: by lifting it straight up, or by pushing it diagonally up. Lifting an
object straight up moves it over the shortest distance, but you must exert a greater force.
On the other hand, using an inclined plane requires a smaller force, but you must exert it
over a longer distance. Highway access ramps, sidewalk ramps, staircases, inclined
conveyor belts, and switchback roads or trails are all examples of inclined planes.
 E. SCREW
A screw is essentially an inclined plane wrapped around a shaft. they hold things
together and they lift objects. A screw is good for holding things together because of the
threading around the shaft. The threads grip the surrounding material like teeth, ensuring
a firm hold; unwinding a screw is the only method to remove it. A car jack is an example
of a screw being used to lift something. A screw, bolt, clamp, jar lid, vehicle jack,
spinning stool, and spiral staircase are all examples of screws.

2. The following are the given problems and its solutions.

2.1 How much weight can a 140 pounds person lift with a class one lever if the force
arm is 4 ft long and the resultant arm is 1 ft long?
 A 140 pounds person with class one lever of force arm length of 4.00 ft and
resultant arm of 1.00 ft can lift as much as 560 pounds of weight.

2.2 How many kilograms can a 100-kilogram man lift with a class two lever if the
force arm is 5 feet long and the resultant arm is 1.5 feet long?

A 100-kilogram man with class two lever of force arm length of 5 ft and resultant
arm length of 1.5 ft long can lift up to 𝟑33.333 𝒌𝒈.
2.3 How many pounds of force would it take for a class three lever to develop 230
pounds of resultant force if applied force arm is 18 and ¼ inches, and the resultant
force arm is 36 and 7/8 inches?
 A class three lever with applied force arm of 18 and ¼ inches and resultant force
arm of 36 and 7/8 inches would take 465 pounds of force to produce 230 pounds
of resultant force.
2.4 A total weight of 100 pounds is to be lifted using an inclined plane. Determine the
amount of force that would be required if the height is 2.0 ft and the length of the
inclined plane is 12.0 ft.

The amount of force required to lift a 100 pound of weight in an inclined plane
with 2.0 ft height and 12.0 ft length is 17 pounds

2.5 What is the maximum amount of weight that could be pulled up an inclined plane
if the force is limited to 50.75 pounds, the inclined plane is 12.25 feet long, and
the height is 54 inches?
 The maximum amount of weight that can be pulled in this inclined plane is 138.2
pounds

2.6 How much force will it take to lift a 10 pounds weight with a wheel and axle if
the axle is 2 inches in diameter and the wheel is 10 inches in diameter?

It will take 2 pounds of force for this wheel and axle to lift 10 pounds of weight.
2.7 How much pull (F) would it take on the block and tackle rope to lift a 545 pounds
engine?
 It would take 182 pounds of force to lift a 545 pounds of engine in the block and
tackle rope.

2.8 If the lever arm of a screw is 18 inches long and the pitch of the threads is 0.125
inch, how much weight will the jack lift if 50 pounds of force is applied at the end
of the lever arm ignoring friction?

The jack will lift an amount of 7200 pounds of weight if 50 pounds of force is
applied at the end of the lever arm.

CONCLUSION
 Simple Machines are simple mechanisms that used mechanical advantage to multiply
force, making the work easier with lesser effort. They can also be defined as mechanical
machines that changes the direction or magnitude of a force.
Simple machines can be classified into two categories: inclined planes and levers. The
three types of inclined planes are still ramp or inclined plane, wedge, and screw. A ramp, also
known as an inclined plane, is a flat surface that is higher on one end than the other (slanting
surface). Ramps are commonly used to transport goods from a higher to a lower level and vice
versa. Wedges are formed by two inclined planes coming together to form a sharp shape.
Wedges are commonly used to cut/split, lift, and hold items. Screw is the last form of inclined
plane. Screws are circular cylindrical members with a continuous helical rib that can be
employed as fasteners or force and motion modifiers.
Levers, on the other hand, are classified into three categories: lever, wheel and axle, and
pulley. Levers are boards or bars which rest on a pivot and are commonly used to move objects
or firmly fix loads at one end while applying pressure to the other.
Lever is divided into three categories. The first classification is based on whether the
fulcrum is closer to the load, the applied force, or somewhere in between. As applied force –
fulcrum – load, the fulcrum, load, and forced are arranged. The load is in the center of the second
kind of lever, and the order is applied force – load – fulcrum. The last classification of a lever is
arranged as fulcrum – applied force – load, with the applied force or effort in the center. A wheel
and axle are a simple machine which consists of a wheel linked to a smaller axle that allows the
two combined parts to rotate together, transferring force from one to the other. They are used to
lift or move loads. Finally, there's the pulley. Pulleys are wheels with a flexible rope, cord, or
cable attached to the rim. Pulleys can be single (reversing the direction of force), fixed (the force
required to lift the load remains the same as lifting it without a pulley), or moveable (the force
required to raise the load remains the same as lifting it without a pulley) (the load moves in the
same direction as the applied force).
Additionally, these simple machines have their own set of principles. The concepts of
basic machines enable someone to apply their knowledge in terms of problem-solving. The
mathematical formula for the principle of lever is Fa x Af = Fr x Ar, where Fa is the applied
force, Af is the force arm length, Fr is the resultant force and Ar is the resultant arm length. The
mathematical formula for the principle of wheel and axle is F x Af = Ar x W, where F is the
force applied, Af is the length of applied force arm (radius of pulley), Ar is the length of resultant
force arm (radius of axle) and W is the weight being moved. The mathematical equation for the
principle of pulley is Rn = W/F, where Rn is the numbers of ropes, W is the amount of weight to
be lifted and F is the amount of force applied to the block and tackle. The inclined plane
principle's mathematical equation is F x AC = W x BC, where F is the amount of force to pull
the box, AC is the length of the inclined plane, W is the weight of the box and BC is the height of
the inclined plane. Lastly, the mathematical equation for the principle of screw is Fa x Af = Fr x
Ar, where Fa is the force applied at the end of the lever arm, Fr is the amount of weight the jack
will lift, Af is the length of the lever arm and Ar is the pitch of the threads.
We are always after the calculations of the mechanical advantage and its efficiency when
using the principles of simple machines. We can also find the applied force, load, and lengths of
a simple machine in some situations. The ratio of the force exerted by the machine to the force
applied to the machine is known as mechanical advantage in machines that convey only
mechanical energy. The weight will be moved just a fraction of the distance over which the
effort is given while using mechanical advantage. Also, a machine's efficiency is defined as the
ratio of energy supplied to energy consumed. Although any sliding or rotating parts can be
lubricated to reduce friction, all machines produce some friction. However, we utilize the
concept of energy conservation in our calculations, ignoring for the time being the energy losses
due to friction, because the work done on a basic machine is the same as the work done by the
machine to accomplish some sort of task.

RECOMMENDATION
Simple machines are an important idea in engineering because we are continuously
looking for methods to improve the efficiency of our resources and technology in order to build
and implement solutions that will benefit society. One method to instill this concept in our hearts
is to immerse ourselves in it by utilizing and experimenting with basic machines. Reading the
concept isn't adequate without application, and as we've seen, simple machines are all around us.
Calculating mechanical advantage and efficiency allows us to make assumptions and solve
problems in our everyday lives.

REFERENCES
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopedia (2021, August 2). simple machine. Encyclopedia
Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/simple-machine

Simple Machines. (n.d.). Https://Ecampus.Matc.Edu/Mihalj/Scitech/Unit1/Levers/Levers.Htm.

Retrieved October 22, 2021, from
https://ecampus.matc.edu/mihalj/scitech/unit1/levers/levers.htm

Lucas, J. (2018, February 7). 6 Simple Machines: Making Work Easier. Livescience.Com.
https://www.livescience.com/49106-simple-machines.html

Engineering: Simple Machines. (2021, October 21). TeachEngineering.Org.

https://www.teachengineering.org/lessons/view/cub_simple_lesson01