======Screws - A Ramp Around a Rod======


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**Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\
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**Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\
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**Categories:** {{$demo.categories}}
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**Alternative titles:** Inclined Plane Wrapped Around a Cylinder
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Begin with pictures of long ramps or staircases and explain how ramps reduce effort by spreading work over distance.  
  - Show a spiral staircase or spiral parking garage as an example of how ramps can be wrapped around to save space.  
  - Compare a steep path up a mountain with a switchback path, which works like a screw by making the climb easier.  
  - Give each student a triangle of paper with the long side marked as the “ramp.”  
  - Have them roll the triangle tightly around a pencil; point out how the ramp becomes a spiral, forming a screw.  
  - Discuss how screws use this principle to hold things together or lift objects with less effort.



====Links==== 

📄 A ramp wrapped around a rod - Inventors of Tomorrow: [[https://inventorsoftomorrow.com/2016/10/24/screws-simple-machines-activities-for-kids/]]\\

====Variations====
  * Use clay or playdough to make spiral shapes that resemble screws.  
  * Demonstrate with real screws and bolts, turning them into wood or cardboard.  
  * Extend the activity by making paper beads from the rolled paper triangles for a craft project.  




====Safety Precautions====
  * Supervise use of sharp objects if real screws or bolts are demonstrated.  
  * Ensure pencils or other rolling objects are used safely to avoid poking.




====Questions to Consider====
  * How is a screw similar to a ramp? (It is an inclined plane wrapped around a rod.)  
  * Why is it easier to use a switchback trail than climb straight up a steep hill? (Because the incline is spread out, requiring less force at one time.)  
  * What advantages does wrapping the ramp around a rod provide? (It allows long ramps to fit into a small space and lets screws hold or lift materials more effectively.)