Welcome to 5th grade science.
New Vocabulary
Vocabulary/Glossary
- Advantage: A gain in effort or distance or a change of direction resulting from the use of a simple machine.
- Axis: An imaginary line that passes through an object or system, around which the object or system rotates.
- Class 1 lever: A lever in which the fulcrum is between the load and the effort.
- Effort: The force applied to move a load using a simple machine.
- Fixed pulley: A pulley attached in position above a load to be lifted.
- Force: A push or a pull.
- Fulcrum: The point at which a lever arm pivots.
- Inclined plane: A flat surface set at an angle, used to change the direction of a force.
- Lever: A beam, free to pivot around a point, used to move a load.
- Lever arm: A beam, free to pivot around a point.
- Load: The weight or resistance that is moved using a simple machine.
- Movable pulley: A pulley attached to a load that is being lifted.
- Newton: The metric unit used to measure force.
- Newton's 3rd Law: Equal and opposite reactions. Examples: You push DOWN on floor, floor pushes UP on you; Steam out of bottom of space shuttle pushes DOWN on launch pad, launch pad pushes UP on space shuttle.
- Pulley: A wheel with a grooved rim in which a rope can run to change the direction of the pull and so lift a load.
- Resistance: An opposing force tending to prevent motion.
- Simple machine: Any of the six elementary devices (including levers and pulleys) that provide mechanical or other advantage.
- Wedge: A double inclined plane that tapers to a point or sharp edge, used to change the direction of force.
