A wheel-and-axle is a mechanical simple machine consisting of two rigidly connected circular elements of different diameters sharing a common axis. When rotational force is applied to the larger element, the smaller element produces amplified torque, and vice versa for speed. The mechanical advantage equals the ratio of the wheel radius to the axle radius. The construct persists through physical implementation in tools, vehicles, and machinery — a matter-based artifact maintained by continued mechanical use and fabrication. [formal: axis et rota | substrate: matter | horizon: a life | explicit: yes | epoch: 0.01]
Accepted ontology entry
wheel-and-axle
A wheel-and-axle is a mechanical simple machine consisting of two rigidly connected circular elements of different diameters sharing a common axis. When rotational force is applied to the larger element, the smaller element produces amplif…
Definition
Why it is in scope
A human-made mechanical construct: two concentric circular elements fixed together to rotate as one unit, designed to amplify rotational force — a small wheel attached to a larger axle so that force applied to one produces amplified torque on the other.
Names and aliases
- wheel-and-axleen · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
- cmru173ob00evv7faw8ip5r83INSTANCE_OF →
Law 9: wheel-and-axle is one of the six classical simple machines (lever, wheel-and-axle, pulley, inclined plane, wedge, screw). A competent speaker calls a wheel-and-axle 'a simple machine.' Nearest kind.
Relations to this entry
- cmso0bxnm007ojlss7vplu5qf← DERIVED_FROM
Gears derive from wheel-and-axle: add teeth to a wheel to transform it into a torque-transmitting mechanism. Which came first? The wheel-and-axle predates the gear by centuries. The wheel-and-axle fed into the gear — a gear is essentially a toothed wheel.
Record identity
- Created
- Aug 11, 2026, 2:20 AM UTC
- Content hash
- 5062009abef97a90f47e0978ca08b23fb4da62f658a2acf2947fb0bc7ce49be4