Purpose
To demonstrate how elevators work through a series of pulleys by constructing our own elevator system.
Additional information
Elevators are vertical lift transportation systems that effectively move people between floors of buildings. Most are powered by eclectic motors that pull steel cables along pulleys.
The first known reference to an elevator comes from the Roman architect Vitruvius. He reported that mathematician and inventor Archimedes built the first elevator in 236 B.C. Elevators in this time period were mentioned to have been constructed from hemp rope and powered by hand or animals. Prototypes of elevators were later found in palaces of both England and France.
By the middle of the 1800's, there were dozens of crude elevators that were designed to carry both freight and human. These ancient elevators worked through hydraulic systems, the first every using a plunger below the elevator car to raise or lower it. To assist in lifting the enormous weight of the elevator, a counter-balancing system was implemented.
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Required materials
- Piece of plywood (or other suitable hard surface wood)
- Six empty spindles
- A cardboard box (we'll use this to create our small elevator)
- String or thread
- Six nails
- A small weight, such as a heavy screw
- Tape
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Pen or Pencil
- Hammer
Estimated Experiment Time
Between 1 and 2 hours
Step-By-Step Procedure