Pulling out nails

Overview

Connecting to the Curriculum

Marking Student Responses

Further Resources

This task is about levers.

A woodworker has bought some old matai floorboards to re-use as table tops. Some of the nails in the boards are difficult to pull out.

Putting a small wooden block under the head of the hammer gives greater leverage so the nails come out with less effort.

Question 2Change answer

a) Complete the sentence:

When the block is used the distance through which the hammer (lever) can pull the nail (load) is

...

b) What else could you do to make pulling the nails out easier?

c) Name another situation where you could use a lever at home or at school.

Level:

Curriculum info:

Keywords:

Description of task:

Task: Answer questions about levers. Assessment focus: levers.

Curriculum Links:

Science capabilities

The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask

Capability: Gather and interpret data

This resource provides opportunities to discuss how the clues that a picture provides helps us make inferences.

Science capabilities:

Answers/responses:

		Y10 (09/1997)
a)	Increased	moderate
b)	Use a hammer with a longer handle, extend the handle, or use a thicker block.	difficult
c)	Response that indicates a difficult or heavy object is levered and lifted, e.g., paving stones, furniture, or use of nutcracker, some corkscrews, levering tin lid, scissors, door handle, etc.	difficult