Area 03
Kinematics
How mechanisms dey move: gears, links and cams
Kinematics dey describe motion: positions, paths and speeds. E dey show how one movement fit turn to anoda one.
Wetin you go learn
- How gears dey change speed and direction
- How gear ratio dey trade speed for force
- How linkages dey change rotation to back-and-forth motion
- How to follow di path of one point wey dey move
Example experiments
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Join small gear wit big one, teeth to teeth, and count how many times each one turn.
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Build crank and slider, then watch di piston dey move.
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Change di length of one link and see how im path dey change.
Tins wey you fit build
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Gearbox for winch wey slow but strong
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Piston wey crank dey drive
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Mechanism for windscreen wiper
Dis examples dey show di kind work wey dey dis area. Di lessons wey dem go publish fit different.
Try one small model
Dis small models dey run right here for your browser, and dem go still work witout internet once di page don load. Na teaching models wey dem simplify, no be di MEKALUMI simulation engine.
Tip: drag di gear for left to turn am wit your hand.
Gear train
Change di number of teeth for each gear. Watch how di speed and di turning force dey change.
- Gear ratio
- 1 : 2
- Output speed
- 15 rpm · 2× slower
- Turning force
- × 2
- Direction
- E dey turn opposite di motor
Wen small gear dey drive big one, di big gear go turn slower, but wit more force. Winches, bicycles and clocks dey use dis idea.
Model: ideal gears wey no get friction and no dey slip. Motor speed: 30 rpm.
Wetin di simulation simplify
- Kinematics dey study motion, many times witout asking which forces dey cause am.
- Dem dey assume say di parts fit each oda perfectly, witout gap or loose movement.
Every simulation dey simplify reality. To sabi how e dey do am na part of learning engineering.
How e connect to school subjects
Maths (geometry and ratios), physics, design and technology
Connection to oda areas
Kinematics dey build on top mechanics, and robotics no fit do witout am.
E good make you know
For bicycle, di chain and di gears wey get different sizes dey trade speed for force wen you dey ride climb hill.