How do Gears Work? | Mechanical Comprehension Review

For the mechanical aptitude tests, it is very common to see a couple of questions concerning gears. Gears are a system of interlocking wheels that can create immense mechanical advantages. The amount of mechanical advantage, however, will depend on the gear ratio; that is, on the relation in size between the gears.

Let’s start with something straightforward first.

Problems like these are simple when you know the shortcut.

Now, let’s see a more complicated version of the same thing.

There are two questions regarding this picture, so let’s take them one at a time, first mechanical advantage.

Now, let’s examine the gear ratio and how that impacts the amount of turning these gears do.

Now for a couple fun ones to try by yourself…

Last one…

The answer here is “c” because we know the ratio is 1:2 which means the larger gear makes half as many turns as the smaller one. Half of 12 turns is 6.

Thanks for watching this video tutorial.