We suggest to get in touch with basic geometric shapes such as the triangle, the diamond, the square, the prism and the cube. Where can we see these shapes in our surroundings?
The wheel is a circular piece that rotates around its axis. This basic principle has resulted in one of the most important inventions for humanity that allows transportation and the manufacture of various machines. Where are there wheels in our city?
Through the construction of a swing kids can experience the concept of a pendulum that is nothing more than an object suspended from a thread that oscillates from one side to the other. We know that gravity is responsible in this case for this particular swaying around its equilibrium position. What has been the funniest swing you have ever climbed?
This concept is based on a mechanism composed of blades that rotate around an axis. To visualize it, we propose to build a windmill where the force of the wind moves some propellers. This energy can then be transformed into another type of energy such as electricity. Where have you seen propellers besides the mills?
With levers we can move heavy weights and even manipulate some very small that they are difficult to move. The principle is simple: we use a rigid bar with a point of support, the weight to be manipulated and a force that will be multiplied thanks to the mechanism. Let’s look at practical examples where each element is used differently to achieve an objective:
