Science Common Sense

214 - How do pulleys work?

Imagine you're lifting a heavy box. It's hard to lift it straight up, right?. A pulley is a wheel with a rope or chain wrapped around it. When you use a pulley, you can lift the box more easily.

Here's how it works:

1. You wrap the rope around the pulley wheel.
2. You attach the other end of the rope to the box.
3. Now, instead of lifting the box straight up, you pull down on the rope.
4. The pulley wheel turns, and the rope wraps around it.
5. This makes the box lift up, but it feels easier to lift because you're using the pulley to change the direction of the force.

It's like having an extra pair of hands to help you lift the box.