Science · 6 pages · 12 min
How gears trade speed for force
Meshed teeth make the slower gear deliver more torque, not more energy.
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From the opening
Gears trade speed for force because meshed teeth make two wheels turn together without slipping, and unequal sizes turn through unequal angles. The slower wheel delivers more torque at its shaft, while the work, friction aside, does not increase. The opening covers tooth count sets the ratio, torque rises as rotation slows, and why this is not free power.
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Inside
- Tooth count sets the ratio
- Torque rises as rotation slows
- Why this is not free power
- The same trade in a bicycle gear
- Where the idea stops applying
- A distinction worth keeping
Sources
- Gear ratio and torque
- Conservation of energy in a simple machine