Gears

A gear is a wheel with teeth round its edge. When two gears mesh, the teeth of one fit between the teeth of the other, so turning one turns the other, in the opposite direction. Because the teeth don't slip, the gears' turns are in the inverse ratio of their teeth: a 36-tooth gear turning once turns a 12-tooth gear three times. A big gear driving a small one gives faster turning with less torque; a small gear driving a big one gives slower turning with more torque. A chain makes two gears turn the same way, as on a bicycle, and bevel gears turn the axis of rotation through a right angle, as in a hand drill.

Depth 1 · Foundation

You can say which way meshing gears turn, work out how many turns one gear makes from the numbers of teeth, explain the trade between turning speed and torque, and use it to explain a bicycle's gears.

Depths of understanding

1
Foundation
You can say which way meshing gears turn, work out how many turns one gear makes from the numbers of teeth, explain the trade between turning speed and torque, and use it to explain a bicycle's gears.
Opens after
Wheel and axle, depth 2A gear is a wheel and axle with teeth, passing its turning on to another.TorqueGears trade turning speed for torque.

Your path here

What's still between you and Gears, depth 1, in the order you can learn it.

Where it fits

Builds on

Wheel and axleDepth 2 Torque

This concept

GearsMechanics

Builds onThis conceptWheel and axleDepth 2 Torque GearsMechanics