WeDgeS
s
i m p l e
m a c h
i n e s
SaraH TieCK
Simple Machines
s
i m p l e
m a c h
i n e s
WeDgeS
A Buddy Book
by
SaraH TieCK
VISIT US AT
www.abdopublishing.com
Published by ABDO Publishing Company, 4940 Viking Drive, Edina, Minnesota 55435.
Copyright © 2007 by Abdo Consulting Group, Inc. International copyrights reserved in all
countries. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from
the publisher. Buddy Books™ is a trademark and logo of ABDO Publishing Company.
Printed in the United States.
Contributing Editor: Michael P. Goecke
Graphic Design: Maria Hosley
Cover Photograph: Photos.com, Clipart.com
Interior Photographs/Illustrations: Clipart.com, Corbis, Photos.com, Professional Litho
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Tieck, Sarah, 1976–
Wedges / Sarah Tieck.
p. cm. — (Simple machines)
Includes index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-59679-816-8
ISBN-10: 1-59679-816-5
1. Wedges—Juvenile literature. I. Title. II. Series: Tieck, Sarah, 1976- Simple machines.
TJ1201.W44T54 2006
621.8—dc22
2006010045
Table Of
Contents
What Is A Wedge? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Parts Of A Wedge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
How Does A Wedge Work? . . . . . . . . 10
Different Wedges At Work . . . . . . . . 12
The History Of Wedges . . . . . . . . . . . 17
How Do Wedges
Help People Today? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Web Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Important Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
What Is
A Wedge?
Wedges are used to cut, split, pierce,
or divide objects. A wedge is a simple
machine. A simple machine has few
moving parts, sometimes only one.
Simple machines give people a
mechanical advantage. This is how
wedges help make work easier
for people.
4
A wedge can be used to split a log.
5
SiMpLe
6
maCHiNeS
Inclined Planes
Levers
Help move objects.
Help lift or move objects.
Pulleys
Screws
Help move, lift, and lower objects.
Help lift, lower, and fasten objects.
Wedges
Wheels and Axles
Help fasten or split objects.
Help move objects.
Wedges are not the only simple
machines. There are six simple machines.
These include wedges, levers, pulleys,
screws, inclined planes, and wheels
and axles.
Sometimes, simple machines work
together. Most machines are made up of
more than one simple machine. Examples
of wedges include forks, nails, and axes.
7
Parts Of
A Wedge
Wedges give people a mechanical
advantage. The wedge’s design helps
open or push objects apart. The wedge
can also help people move things such as
air and water.
A wedge is usually made up of two
inclined planes joined together. The
inclined planes make a sharp edge,
or point.
8
Inclined Plane
An inclined plane can help move heavy objects.
Wedge
A wedge made with two inclined planes put together
can help split things apart.
The wedge is used to split or move
something. As the wedge cuts through
an object, there is resistance.
Someone or something must supply
force. This force is what makes the
wedge work.
9
How Does A
Wedge Work?
Most people probably cannot split
something solid, such as a log, on their
own. But, a person could split a log with a
wedge. This is because wedges make
work easier.
To use a wedge to split a log, a person
could use an ax. He or she would hit the
log with the ax’s sharp edge.
10
An ax is one type of wedge.
Downward force helps drive the ax’s
sharp edge into the log. This creates
outward force, splitting the log in two.
11
Different Wedges
At Work
There are many different ways to use
a wedge. It is possible to change a
wedge’s shape, size, or angle. People can
also change the way a wedge moves.
These changes help a wedge to
perform different jobs. Because of this,
wedges have many uses.
A knife is a wedge. This wedge is
narrow, with a sharp edge. By applying
downward force to a knife, a person can
cut food and other things.
12
To cut food into pieces, people
use a knife as a type of wedge.
13
Construction workers use nails
to build houses and buildings.
Some nails have a wedge, too. This
wedge is made up of four inclined planes.
By applying downward force with a
hammer, the nail’s wedge will pierce the
wood. This allows the nail to hold the
pieces together.
14
A doorstop is a wedge. It is made
of a single inclined plane. By applying
sideways force, a person can slide the
doorstop under the door. This holds a
door open.
An example of a doorstop
holding a door open.
15
A fan blade is a narrow,
thin wedge. A motor provides
force. As the fan blade turns,
it cuts and moves through air.
The bow of a boat acts as a
wedge. It is a very wide wedge with a dull
edge. As the boat moves forward, it
pushes apart the water.
The bow of a boat is a wedge
that pushes through water.
16
The History
Of Wedges
The wedge has been used for many
years. It was one of the first tools and was
used by early people.
Examples of early wedges.
17
A chisel is a useful tool for
carving a log into a shape.
18
In these ancient times, people didn’t
have machines with motors. They had to
do all the work with their bodies.
Ancient peoples made many things by
hand. It is said that they used a type of
wedge to help remove bark from trees.
This tool also helped them make boats
from those trees.
19
How Do Wedges
Help People Today?
Today people have many types of tools
but they still use wedges.
When you cut a sandwich with a knife,
you are using a wedge. When you use
an ice scraper to remove ice from a
windshield, you are using a wedge. When
you bite into an apple, your teeth are acting
as another type of wedge.
20
Teeth are a type of wedge.
They help people eat their food.
21
A wedge can help split a log into boards.
Wedges help people with many different
jobs all over the world.
Web Sites
To learn more about Wedges, visit ABDO Publishing Company on
the World Wide Web. Web site links about Wedges are featured
on our Book Links page. These links are routinely monitored and
updated to provide the most current information available.
www.abdopublishing.com
22
Important
Words
angle the shape made by two straight lines or
surfaces meeting in a point.
bow the front of a boat.
force a push or pull against resistance.
inclined plane a flat surface that is raised at one
end. This type of simple machine helps move objects
to higher or lower places.
mechanical advantage the way simple machines
make work easier. Using a simple machine to help
with a task means less, or different, effort is needed
to do a job. The same job would require more effort
without the help of a simple machine.
resistance something that works against or opposes.
23
Index
air . . . . . . . . . . . . .8, 16
angle . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
ax . . . . . . . . . .7, 10, 11
boat . . . . . . . . . .16, 19
chisel . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
construction
worker . . . . . . . . . .14
door . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
doorstop . . . . . . . . . .15
fan blade . . . . . . . . .16
food . . . .12, 13, 20, 21
force . . . . . . . .8, 9, 11,
12, 14, 15, 16
fork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
hammer . . . . . . . . . .14
ice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
ice scraper . . . . . . . .20
24
inclined plane . . . .6, 7,
8, 9, 14, 15
knife . . . . . . .12, 13, 20
lever . . . . . . . . . . . .6, 7
log . . . . . . . . .5, 10, 11,
18, 22
motor . . . . . . . . .16, 19
nail . . . . . . . . . . . .7, 14
pulley . . . . . . . . . . .6, 7
resistance . . . . . . . . . .9
screw . . . . . . . . . . .6, 7
teeth . . . . . . . . . .20, 21
tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
water . . . . . . . . . .8, 16
wheel and axle . . .6, 7
windshield . . . . . . . .20
wood . . . . . . . . . . . . .14