how gears and gear ratios don’t break the laws of conservation of energy.

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In [this video](https://youtu.be/umN2iHsw3UY?t=479) a lego motor lifts ~54kg using gear ratios, how can this be possible when the motor only lifts ~3kg by itself? Isn’t that like putting 1 energy into something and getting 18 out of it?

In: Engineering

4 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Nope. The energy is constant. That’s how gears, levers and pulleys all function. Work is Force * distance and it’s measured in units of energy. For rotating components, it’s Torque * rotational rate = Power (power is the rate of change of energy).

Pulleys and levers work by decreasing required force, but increasing the distance travelled (ergo work is constant).

Gears work by trading off torque for rotational rate (power is constant)

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