Gears in motion.

How do gears trade speed for strength?

Setting up the mechanism…

Input speed: 0.00rpm
Output speed: 0.00rpm
Torque multiplier: 0.00×

Fit both gears and turn the input handle.

Fewer turns. More turning force.

Meshing gears turn in opposite directions. A driven gear with twice as many teeth turns at half the speed, with twice the ideal torque. The tooth count fixes the ratio, regardless of how fast you turn the driving gear.

Output speed = − input speed × input teeth / output teeth

What this model simplifies

External gears rotate oppositely; speed ratio is inverse tooth count; ideal torque ratio reciprocal.

Read the source · NASA Space Math · Gear ratios ↗

Put it to work.

Make the output turn at half the input speed.

Make it work.

Make the output turn at half the input speed.

Run

Fine adjustments 1

Input speedrpm

Gears in motion.

How do gears trade speed for strength?

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Figuvo

Understand by doing.

Understanding is something you do.

Figuvo is a place to look inside everyday things, build a connection, and discover the idea behind them.

177 interactive experiments. Each has a working model and a challenge to test what you found.

The original inspiration

Levers & fulcrums The surprising gyroscope The field cannon Inside the human body

Original demonstrations by The Bugged Dev. The teaching models and interactions here are new implementations.

Community builds

New teaching models inspired by public builds shared around Anatomy.

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Bicycles and motorcycles

Gears in motion.

How do gears trade speed for strength?

Setting up the mechanism…

Input speed: 0.00rpm
Output speed: 0.00rpm
Torque multiplier: 0.00×

Fit both gears and turn the input handle.

Fewer turns. More turning force.

Output speed = − input speed × input teeth / output teeth

What this model simplifies

External gears rotate oppositely; speed ratio is inverse tooth count; ideal torque ratio reciprocal.

Read the source · NASA Space Math · Gear ratios ↗

Put it to work.

Make the output turn at half the input speed.

Make it work.

Make the output turn at half the input speed.

Run

Fine adjustments 1

Input speedrpm