STEM: Mechanical advantage

Mechanical advantage has been used for thousands of years to enable us to move large objects with small forces. Children can learn the principles of mechanical advantage and see real-life examples along our canals and rivers.

Mechanical advantage activity plan

Use this activity plan to guide your learning about mechanical advantage

Mechanical advantage at National Waterways Museum

This film gives you a really good introduction to mechanical advantage and shows you some real life examples.

Build a lock game

Learn how a lock works by playing this game in the Explorers Game Zone

Repairing the North Pier at Sharpness Dock

Read how we use mechanical advantage in our work to maintain and look after canals and rivers.

Gear ratio experiment

Have a go at our gear ratio experiment to understand more detail about how cranes use mechanical advantage in different ways to suit different loads and situations.