Day 5/180: Simple Machines and the Romans

Yesterday, Tuesday, was the first day of a four morning camp at the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center.  The topic:  Simple Machines and the Romans.  From the description,

• "Using a very popular kids’ building toy, we’ll explore some of the basics of physics and take a closer look at levers, gears, pulleys and more! After we build our own models and understand the mechanics, we’ll check out examples of these machines in our museum collection.  Later, we’ll take a walk way back in time to learn a little Latin, explore the art and culture of ancient Roman times, and tie it together by seeing how Romans used those simple machines! We’ll even make our own catapult to take home!  Snack will be provided."

When I picked Jane up, she told me there was writing, drawing, Latin, and simple machines.  She told me there are more than six simple machines, and their homework was to research the topic for tomorrow.  After the camp (9:30 - 12:00), we had a playdate, followed by our weekly bicycle and scooter practice picnic at the park, followed by ukulele time, so Jane didn't have time to research, but I've been researching this morning.

According to Wikipedia, the idea of six simple machines is a classical Greek idea.  

Since then, understanding of mechanics has advanced.  "By the late 1800s, Franz Reuleaux had identified hundreds of machine elements, calling them simple machines."  The same Franz Reuleaus realized that, "a lever, pulley, and wheel and axle are in essence the same device:  a body rotating around a hinge.  Similarly, an incline plane, wedge, and screw are a block sliding on a flat surface.  This realization shows that it is the joints, or the connections that provide movement, that are the primary elements of a machine.  Starting with four types of joints, the revolute joint, sliding joing, cam joint, and gear joint, and related connections such as cables and belts, it is possible to understand a machine as an assembly of solid parts that connect these joints."  Then I clicked on the next link in the Wikipedia entry, linkages.  Very interesting stuff.

This morning at drop off, I also learned that they looked at and talked about a historic cider mill from the museum collection.