If you are like me, then you have a big container of recycled materials and cool items you can’t bear to get rid of! That’s pretty much all you need to make an Archimedes screw. This simple machine for kids is a fun engineering activity to try!
ARCHIMEDES SCREW SIMPLE MACHINE
WHAT IS THE ARCHIMEDES SCREW
Archimedes’ screw, also known as the water screw, screw pump or Egyptian screw, is one of the earliest machines used for moving water from a lower area to a higher area.
The purpose of the Archimedes screw was to make it much easier to move water than lifting it by hand with buckets.
The Archimedes screw pump works by turning a screw-shaped surface inside a circular pipe. As the screw turns the material is forced up the pipe in a process called displacement.
Archimedes screw is named after Greek philosopher and mathematician Archimedes who first described it around 234 BC. Though there is evidence that it had been used in Ancient Egypt a long time before that. It is thought that Archimedes used it to remove water from the hold of a large ship that was very leaky.
Archimedes screw pumps are still used today in wastewater treatment plants, and for removing water from low lying regions.
Find out how to make a simple Archimedes’ screw pump model with our step by step instructions below. Let’s get started!
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ARCHIMEDES SCREW
This Archimedes screw uses cardboard and a water bottle to create a machine to move cereal!
SUPPLIES:
- Circles template
- Water bottle
- Scissors
- Card stock
- Paper
- Tape
- Cereal or beans (to lift)
INSTRUCTIONS:
STEP 1: Cut off both ends of your water bottle and cut a small hole in the neck.
STEP 2: Roll a piece of paper into a tube.
STEP 3: Print and cut out your circles. Use them as templates to cut the card stock. Make sure to cut through the line and center circles too.
STEP 4: Tape each circle around your rolled paper. Attach the end of each circle to the next one, and tape each circle to the center paper roll as well.
STEP 5: Place your screw inside the bottle and make sure it turns.
STEP 6: Place the screw into a bowl of cereal, making sure the cereal can enter through the hole you cut in the neck of the bottle.
STEP 7: Now twist your screw and watch what happens!
MORE SIMPLE MACHINE PROJECTS FOR KIDS
If you want some more hands-on projects you can do with simple machines try some of these ideas:
- Build a Hand Crank Winch
- Make a Water Wheel
- Homemade Pulley Machine
- Popsicle Stick Catapult
- Simple Paper Cup Pulley Machine
- Simple Machine Worksheets
MAKE AN ARCHIMEDES SCREW FOR STEM
Click on the image below or on the link for more fun STEM projects for kids.
