Step 1: Watch this video to learn the basics of gears!

Gears are a type of simple machine. They look like wheels with teeth.

A gear train is when gears interlock or connect.

A driver gear is the gear that you turn and a follower gear is the gear that gets turned.

Step 2: Let's think about where we find gears!

Where have you seen gears before? Discuss with a partner about where you've seen gears before. Then see if you can find some!

Step 3: We're going to look at all the gears in Robots!

Can you find the gears in these robots? Point them out!

Step 4: How can we use gears?

There are a few important terms related to gears:

Gearing

Up

means you have a large gear turning a smaller gear. When this happens, the small gear moves really fast, but you get less torque. Less torque means the system is not very strong

means you have a small gear turning a larger gear. The large gear doesn’t move very fast, but there is more torque. More torque means the system is very strong

Gearing Down

Step 5: What's another machine that uses gears?

Bikes!

When you ride a bike, you can change the gears to help you go really fast on a downhill or gain more help on an uphill. Gearing up helps you go faster with less resistance while gearing down gives you more power in your pedal while going slower.

Watch this quick video about bike gears!

If you have a bike with gears, go and try these new tricks out if it's okay with your teacher!

Let's build a mechanical arm to learn more about gear ratios

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Let's move on to Lesson 4! →

Beginner Level 1

Lesson 3

All About Gears

Gears help robots to move. Let's explore how gears work together and find some examples in real life!

Step 1: Watch this video to learn the basics of gears!

Gears are a type of simple machine. They look like wheels with teeth.

​

A gear train is when gears interlock or connect.

​

A driver gear is the gear that you turn and a follower gear is the gear that gets turned.

Step 2: Let's think about where we find gears!

Where have you seen gears before? Discuss with a partner about where you've seen gears before. Then see if you can find some!

Step 3: We're going to look at all the gears in Robots!

Can you find the gears in these robots? Point them out!

Step 4: How can we use gears?

There are a few important terms related to gears:

Gearing

Up

means you have a large gear turning a smaller gear. When this happens, the small gear moves really fast, but you get less torque. Less torque means the system is not very strong

means you have a small gear turning a larger gear. The large gear doesn’t move very fast, but there is more torque. More torque means the system is very strong

Gearing Down

Step 5: What's another machine that uses gears?

Bikes!

​ When you ride a bike, you can change the gears to help you go really fast on a downhill or gain more help on an uphill. Gearing up helps you go faster with less resistance while gearing down gives you more power in your pedal while going slower.

Watch this quick video about bike gears!

If you have a bike with gears, go and try these new tricks out if it's okay with your teacher!

Let's build a mechanical arm to learn more about gear ratios

When you ride a bike, you can change the gears to help you go really fast on a downhill or gain more help on an uphill. Gearing up helps you go faster with less resistance while gearing down gives you more power in your pedal while going slower.