| Simple machines have been around for thousands of years. Simple machines are tools which man has invented to make work easier. The Egyptians used inclined planes to help them move stones weighing thousands of pounds to the top of the great pyramids. They rolled the stones on a series of logs to reduce the friction as the stones were pushed and pulled along the inclined plane. The ancient Greeks used a giant screw to bring water out of the ground so that people could access the water more easily. Farmers, in early America, cleared heavy rocks from their fields by using a log balanced on a rock or another log to help them lift the rocks from the ground. Can you think of other examples of simple tools that man has used to make his work easier? As you take part in this WebQuest you will learn about simple machines and how they work. You will be able to identify many tools that man has used to help him make his work easier. |
