Pulleys

Vanderbilt Student Volunteers for Science

Fall, 2010
Training Refresher

Important!
Please use this resource to reinforce your
understanding of the lesson! Make sure you
have read and understand the entire lesson prior
to picking up the kit!
We recommend that you work through the kit
with your team prior to going into the classroom.
This presentation does not contain the entire
lessononly selected experiments that may be
difficult to visualize and/or understand.

Management Notes
Groups should have at least 4 students.
ALL VSVS volunteers need to know how to do
this experiment. We highly encourage that you
practice using the pulleys before teaching them!
VSVS members should each supervise one or
two groups of students to ensure that the groups
are following instructions and using materials
properly to achieve appropriate results.
Write down balance readings from each group
on the board (tabular form may be the easiest to
use).

I. Demo: Tug of War (pg. 3)

This introduces pulleys and the

trade off between the distance
an object moves and the
amount of force needed to
move an object.
Arrange the PVC pipes as
shown on the right with the
rope tied to one and wind the
rope around the pipes.
Pick one of the smaller
students to be the person that
will pull the rope and have the
student put on gloves
(optional, but recommended).

I. Demo: Tug of War (cont.)

Two VSVS volunteers, each

holding a PVC pipe and pulling in
opposite directions, try to separate
the pipes.
At the same time, the student
volunteer, standing along side of
one of the VSVS volunteers and
gripping the free end of the rope
with both hands, pulls on the rope
to attempt to draw the pipes
together.
Unwind the rope until it is only
around the pipes once. Then ask
the student volunteer to try again
(this time, the student will not be
able to prevent the VSVS
volunteers from separating the
pipes).

II. Intro to Pulleys (p. 4)

Refer to manual for more details.
What are the six classes of simple machines?
What are pulleys?
Simple machines that are used in different ways to lift
objects.
They can change direction of a force and can make it
easier to lift heavy objects.
Single, fixed, movable pulleys.

Demo all procedures in Parts III and IV so that

students will understand what to do. One VSVS
member should call out instructions for each
activity.

III. Examining Materials and Using

a Spring Balance (pg. 5)
The pulley stands
must be placed near
the edge of a table.
Weights need to sit
flat on the recessed
end with the hook up.

III. Examining Materials and Using

a Spring Balance (cont.)

Have students examine the

spring balance.
Show students how to adjust
zero by pulling or pushing the
metal tab at the top of the
plastic casing.
Tell students that the metal tab
marker should always start out
even with the 0 mark.
Tell students they must zero
the balance each time they
measure.
Check to make sure student
groups do this correctly.

III. Examining Materials and Using

a Spring Balance (cont.)

Have students hold the spring

balance by the top metal ring.
Practice weighing the 200g
weight by itself by hooking the
spring balance to the hook on
the weight and carefully raising
the spring balance until the
200g weight is hanging freely.
Keep arm still to get a good
reading.
Record the reading of the
weight in the Mass of Object
(load) column on the Pulley
data sheet. (If readings are
significantly different from
200g, check the balance or the
way the students are using it)

IV. Single Fixed Pulley (pg. 6)

Hand out a set of pulley diagrams to each group.
Remind the students that it will take several
group members to do each measurementthey
will need to work together to manipulate and
string the pulleys!
Make sure the pulley stands are near the edge
of the table with the lettered side facing the
students who will be stringing the pulley.
Have students follow the diagram for Single
Fixed Pulley as a VSVS member gives the
instructions.

IV. Single Fixed Pulley (p. 6)

Place a single pulley on the

middle ring (B) of the stand.
You may want to wind the
strings of A and C around the
pipe to prevent the strings from
becoming tangled.
Take the short loose string off
the straw. Thread the string
through the top of the pulley
(or between the pulley wheel
and the metal bar surrounding
it). Try to keep the string in the
groove of the pulley.
Hook the paper clip to the
weight. Let go of the string on
the other side, but keep
tension on the string by pulling
down gently.

IV. Single Fixed Pulley (cont.)

Take the spring balance, check

the zero, and hold the balance
upside down.
Hook the spring balance and
pull the spring balance gently
until the weight lifts off the
platform.
The spring balance may need
to be pulled below the level of
the pulley stand as shown on
the right.
Keep tension on the balance
and take a reading.
Refer to the manual for
discussion.
Dismantle the setup. Wind the
string around the straw and put
it back in the ziploc bag.

V. Single Movable Pulley (pg. 8)

Unwind the short string already

attached to ring A on the pulley
stand.
Note: the pulley may twist around
if the student is not holding it
properly. Before a balance
reading is taken, students should
make sure that neither the pulley
nor the string is twisted.
Hold the hook above the wheel on
the single pulley and hook its
bottom hook to the weight. One
student should continue to hold
the pulley until it is connected.
Thread the short string attached at
A through the bottom of the
pulley (from left to right), and slip it
in the groove of the pulley.
Grasp the paper clip and hold it up
toward the top of the stand. Make
sure the string is in the groove of
the pulley.

V. Single Movable Pulley (cont.)

Hold the balance upright
and check the zero.
Attach the spring balance
to the paper clip that is
being held up in the air.
Let go of the pulley and
slowly raise the balance
until the weight is about
1 above the base of the
stand.
Take a balance reading.
Refer to discussion in the
manual.

VI. Single Fixed Pulley with Single

Movable Pulley (pg. 9)

Unwind the long string near

ring C.
Place the weight on the stand.
Hook a single pulley to ring B
on the stand. Grasp one of the
hooks of the other single pulley
and attach it to the weight (one
should continue to hold it until
it is connected later).
Take the long string attached
to ring C and thread the string
through the bottom of the
lower pulley (right to left) and
over the top of the fixed upper
pulley (left to right).
Grasp the end of the paper clip
and pull down gently so that
the string remains taut.

VI. Single Fixed Pulley with Single

Movable Pulley (cont.)
Let go of the pulley and
make sure the strings are
still in the grooves of the
pulleys.
Zero the balance. Hold
the balance upside down
and attach it to the paper
clip at the end of the
string.
Gently pull down until the
weight is about 1 above
the base of the stand.
Take a reading.