Name:_______________________
Date:_______________________
Color:______________________
Simple Machines – Pulley activity – DONE IN LAB BOOK
Materials: Wooden block with eye-hook, 1 meter of twine, small loop of twine, 5 Newton spring scale, pulley, meter
stick
Hypothesis: How will using a fixed or movable pulley change the force and distance involved with moving a load?
Figure 1: Fixed Pulley
Figure 2: Movable Pulley
Data:
Pulley
Output distance
(m)
Output
Force (N)
Output Work
(J)
Input
distance
(m)
Input
force (N)
Input
work (J)
Fixed pulley
Movable
pulley
Diagrams: Draw a diagram for each situation (fixed pulley and movable pulley) with labels for input force, input
distance, output force and output distance.
Analyze and conclude. Answer questions on a separate sheet of paper
1.
A. Restate your hypothesis. Was it correct? How would you change it based on your data?
B. Account for any possible errors in calculations in this lab.
2.
Ideally, the input and output work should be the same for each situation. What might have added work to
your calculations using the fixed pulley? What might have added work to your calculations using the movable
pulley?
3. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of using a fixed and movable pulley (make sure to include whether
the object changed the distance, changed the force, or changed the direction of the force)
4. Compare and discuss the total work done on the block for both the fixed and movable pulley.