Today we are talking about the seventh simple machine: Gears.

The first gear every made is called Antikythera Mechanism It is a bronze machine with 37 gears that was used to calculate the phases of the moon, eclipses, constellations, and zodiac. I was found in 1992 by sponge divers off of the Greek island of Antikythera.

Gears do everything simple machines do but they are considered the seventh simple machine even Though simple machines are only known for 6 simple machines. Gears change direction of motion. Spur gears are the simplest gears. Spur gears have teeth that are parallel to each other. Spur gears are aloud to have Different numbers of teeth. They also go in opposite directions always.

An Idler gear has three gear that allow a gear to move in the same direction. They make the output gear turn in the same direction as the input gear. The idler gear is going to turn the opposite way.

Gears and levers are cousins.

Mechanical advantage is ratio of system’s output force to it’s input force.         (The amount of work you get out versus the amount of work you put in.The driver gear can be either on top or the bottom.

Well that is it for this blog post on class notes for November 4!!