What Is a Wheel and Axle?
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Thanks to the wheel and axle, you can move faster on a bicycle than you could run. The wheel and axle is a simple machine
that makes it easy to get around.
© iStockphoto.com/vesperstock
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Have you ever ridden on a Ferris wheel, turned a doorknob, or watched an adult use a steering wheel in a car or truck? If so, you have seen a wheel and axle at work. A wheel and axle is a simple machine. Simple machines are ones with few moving parts.
Besides the wheel and axle, there are five other simple machines. They are the inclined plane, the lever, the screw, the wedge, and the pulley. Simple machines are often used together to make compound machines. Compound machines, also called complex machines, have many moving parts and are built to do certain jobs. A car, a dishwasher, and a lawn mower are all compound machines.
