Gears and chain transmission

Learning objectives

To analyse and compare how different technologies involving the transfer of movement work.
To know how to relate the demand and the technology.

How to transfer rotational energy from one wheel to another? This simulation illustrates two possibilities:

Gears
Chain transmission

Gears are a mechanical system made of two discs with teeth that mesh smoothly into one another. The two gears are in contact at all times as a tooth of the driver gear pushes a tooth of the driven gear. The driver gear transfers its rotational movements to the driven gear, but the gears turn in opposite directions.

A chain transmission connects two gears that are not in contact. Unlike a belt, a chain is made of links allowing a smooth transmission without sliding. The gears turn in the same direction.

In both cases, the speed of rotation of the driven gear depends on the dimensions of both gears.