IB Design Technology Topic A3.3: Introduction to Mechanical Systems Questionbank

Corvid Cycles builds the bicycle shown in Figure 1. The rider's pedals turn the front chainring, and a chain carries the drive back to a sprocket on the rear wheel. The teeth of the chainring mesh with the links of the chain, so the chain acts as an interconnecting gear rather than as a friction drive. Corvid's engineers are being asked by the marketing team to replace the chain with a rubber belt drive, on the grounds that a belt is cleaner, quieter and needs no oiling.

Figure 1: Bicycle chainring and chain, showing the chain links meshing with the teeth of the chainring

Read the following stimulus and answer parts (a) and (b).

A pair of grilling tongs, shown in the figure, is a single strip of metal folded at one end. The user squeezes the two arms together in the middle, and the tips at the open end grip the food.

Which component converts rotary motion into reciprocating motion?

19. Which feature most influences the direction of motion in a cam system?

Which class of lever is shown in this diagram?