Final answer:
Devices that operate as a wheel and axle include cars, with the wheel being the part that touches the ground and the axle being the rod fixed to the car, and doorknobs, where the knob acts as the wheel and the central shaft as the axle.
Step-by-step explanation:
The wheel and axle is a type of simple machine that can be found in various devices. Below are two devices that operate as a wheel and axle, with details on the components that act as the wheel and the axle:
- a) Car (wheel: the part of the car that touches the ground and rotates to enable movement; axle: the rod to which the wheel is attached, typically fixed and allowing the wheel to rotate around it)
- b) Doorknob (wheel: the knob itself which you turn; axle: the central shaft that turns the latch inside the door mechanism)
In a car, force applied to the outside of the wheel causes a greater force to be applied to the axle. This is due to the difference in the radii of the wheel and the axle, giving a mechanical advantage as per Figure 9.26(b). Similarly, in a doorknob, the force you apply to the knob (wheel) is transferred through the axle to engage the latch mechanism inside the door.