The Wheel and Axle

The wheel and axle can be thought of as a rotating lever.
 Click on the image to animate it. 
 
The wheel and axle can act as a force multiplier. A small effort applied to the coloured wheel by turning the wheel through a large distance turns a large load attached to the axle through a smaller distance, as in first and second class levers.  

Back to Forces Menu
Click on the image to animate it.
 The wheel and axle can also act as a speed multiplier. A small load  attached to the coloured wheel can be rotated through a large distance by turning the axle with a larger effort. Since the load moves a greater distance than the effort in the same time, the wheel is a speed multiplier when used in this way. Just like a third class lever.