Year 7 Science · Unit 3 · Lesson 17

Simple Machines — Levers and Pulleys

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Learning Goals

Order the steps

Number the steps from 1 to 7 to show the correct sequence for setting up and using a movable pulley to lift a 200 kg engine block in an Australian auto mechanic workshop. Step 1 = what happens first.

OrderStep
Pull the free end of the rope downward — the engine block begins to rise slowly.
Thread one end of the rope through the fixed pulley attached to the overhead beam.
Attach the movable pulley to the lifting hook on the engine block.
Anchor the fixed pulley securely to a load-bearing beam above the engine bay.
Thread the rope down and through the movable pulley attached to the engine block.
Check that the engine block is fully clear of the car before swinging it to the side.
Secure the rope end to a fixed anchor point on the beam to lock the load in place.

Compare the three classes of lever

Complete the table to compare Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 levers. Use the lesson to fill in all cells.

FeatureClass 1 leverClass 2 leverClass 3 lever
Which part is in the middle?
Order of F / E / L along the lever
Mechanical advantage (MA)
Do you use less or more force than the load?
Everyday Australian example

1. A student says "if I use a longer crowbar to pry up a rock, I'm creating more energy to lift it." Identify the mistake in this reasoning and correct it using the idea of mechanical advantage and trade-offs.

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2. Tower cranes in the Sydney CBD use block-and-tackle pulley systems with many rope segments. Explain what happens to the effort force required as more rope segments are added, and what the trade-off is.

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Wrap Up

In one sentence, what was the main idea of this lesson?