A simple machine is a mechanical device that changes the direction or magnitude of a force. In general, they can be defined as the simplest mechanisms that use mechanical advantage (also called ...

When I was a child playing baseball, “scaling up or down” was as easy as choking up on my bat if I was carrying too much stick for my skinny arms, or going back to the dugout to grab Big Nate's ...

When you push or pull with a simple machine, you are applying a force and doing work. And, if you get more force out of a machine than you put into it, then that machine has a mechanical advantage.

A simple machine is a tool that helps us do work. They use clever shapes to help us move, lift, cut and other types of work. Learn more about the inclined plane, the pulley, the lever, the wheel and ...