Wedge.si
The physics of the wedge, and all six simple machines
Wedge.si teaches the six classical simple machines, with a focus on the wedge - how axes, knives, and doorstops convert force into work. Ask any mechanics question and get a clear, worked-through answer.
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What you get
Everything Wedge.si gives you
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The wedge, explained
How wedges convert force, from axes to doorstops to zippers.
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All six simple machines
Lever, pulley, wheel and axle, inclined plane, wedge, and screw.
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Step-by-step calculations
Mechanical advantage and force problems worked through clearly.
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Saved study threads
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Go deeper
Simple Machines and the Physics of the Wedge
Reference material on the six simple machines, mechanical advantage, and basic mechanics.
The wedge in depth
- Wedge as two inclined planes — A wedge is essentially two inclined planes joined back to back, converting force direction.
- Mechanical advantage of a wedge — Longer, thinner wedges provide greater mechanical advantage but require more travel distance.
- Everyday wedges — Axes, knives, chisels, doorstops, plows, and zipper teeth all function as wedges.
The six simple machines
- Lever — A rigid bar pivoting on a fulcrum; classified into three classes by the position of load, effort, and fulcrum.
- Wheel and axle — A wheel fixed to a smaller axle, multiplying force as in doorknobs and steering wheels.
- Pulley — A wheel with a groove for rope, changing the direction of force or providing mechanical advantage in systems.
- Inclined plane — A sloped surface reducing the force needed to raise a load, at the cost of distance.
- Screw — An inclined plane wrapped around a cylinder, converting rotational force into linear force.
Core physics concepts
- Mechanical advantage — The ratio of output force to input force provided by a machine.
- Work and energy — Work equals force times distance; simple machines trade force for distance, not free energy.
- Friction — Real machines lose some efficiency to friction, reducing actual mechanical advantage below the ideal.
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