A wedge is a simple machine that is designed to split things into two separate pieces. A wedge is wide at the base and pointed on the edge. This characteristic structure of a wedge simple machine reduces the force required to split things into parts, thereby making the task easier.
In other words, the triangular or trapezoidal edge of a wedge simple machine provides the user with a mechanical advantage. It minimizes the force required to perform the task of splitting, breaking, or cutting an object.
For instance, a flat nail takes much more force to get fixed into a piece of wood, whereas a wedge-shaped nail easily penetrates the wooden block.
What is a wedge?
A wedge is simply a triangular tool, often made of metal, wood, stone, or plastic. It is thick on one end and tapers to a thin or sharp edge on the other end. Technically it is an inclined plane (or two inclined planes put together to form a triangle) that moves. A wedge may be attached to a handle to make it easier to use. Good examples of wedges are nails, knives, axes, and your teeth!
A wedge can be used in many ways:
- To cut (knife)
- To split (axe)
- To tighten and to hold back (doorstopper)
- To hold together (nail)
- To scrape (blades on the snowplow or farm grader)
Wedge Simple Machines Examples
The following list of the 13 most common wedge examples of simple machines used in day-to-day life:
- Marrow Spoon
- Fork
- Peeler
- Heels
- Saw
- Pushpin
- Knife
- Shovel
- Scissor
- Cheese Grater
- Shaving Blades
- Better knife
- Axe
- Chisel
- Zipper
- Vegetable Peeler
- Nails
- Teeth
1. Marrow Spoon
Are you a fan of Bone marrow pulled out from the bone of your favourite non-veg meal? Then you obviously used a marrow spoon, specially made for those bone marrow lovers.
It works the same as a Shovel as it goes inside the bone by penetrating the marrow and pulls out your delicious marrow by lifting a load of marrow into the spoon.
2. Fork
If you observe a fork closely, its tines are constructed in a wedge shape. It helps cut the food items into smaller pieces with ease. Hence, a fork is a good example of the most frequently used wedge simple machines in real life.
3. Peeler
The working of a peeler is very much similar to that of a grater except for the fact that a peeler consists of a single trapezoidal tapered blade that removes or separates one layer of the fruit or vegetable at a time.
Since the peeling off the skin of the object would have been much difficult without the tool, it is necessarily a wedge simple machine.
4. Heels
Wedge-shaped heels are very popular amongst women. They are super comfortable to wear as compared to other types of heels.
This is because the wedge type construction of the shoes enables a balanced transmission of force to the ground and provides a stable and even surface to walk on.
5. Saw
The blade of chainsaws, hack saws, hand saws, etc., is constructed in such a way that it is wide on one end, and the thickness gets reduced while moving towards the other end.
This wedge-like structure of the blade helps the simple machine to penetrate better in the object and provides a neat slit.
Related Post: 33 Different Types of Saws and How to Use Them
6. Pushpin
A push pin or a drawing pin is used to fix a piece of paper on the board, or it helps to hold two pieces of paper together. It is yet another example of the wedge simple machines that are used to join two objects together.
The tip of a push pin is specially designed in a wedge shape because it is easier for a wedge-shaped push pin to penetrate an object than a blunt pin.
7. Knife
This is one of the common and used in everyday life wedge example which definitely presents in our homes.
As you know, Wedge machines are those which have a sharp edge at the end. A knife that falls under this criteria with wooden, plastic or maybe in metallic handles.
When you apply push force on the handle of the knife, this pushing force travels to the sharp edge of the knife and further cuts or split your favourite fruit or vegetable into pieces.
8. Shovel
As you know, a shovel is a tool to dig, move or lift any kind of material such as soil. coal, sand, cement etc with help of a sharp triangular blade at the end.
A broad handle attached to the blade of the shovel with a broad metallic blade sends the push force into the shovel blade and hence desired work is done. Apart from hand shovels, shovels are used in excavator machines also.
9. Scissor
As you know, Scissors are common and mostly used wedge examples in every home around the world to cut any piece of paper, leather, hair, vegetables or clothes etc as per our requirement and also in the medical industry while medical operations.
When you push the handle of the scissor, the force transfers to the edges of the wedges pair and it cuts what comes in the last meeting point of both blades.
The length of the blades determines the amount of force required to cut any piece of material, I mean the longer the blades the lesser force needed to cut or split.
10. Cheese Grater
A cheese grater uses to chop the cheese into fine pieces by applying the wedge simple machine principle.
This cheese grater uses sharp multiple blades to chop the cheese into multiple pieces from multiple places.
When you rub cheese on the cheese grater, the generated force from rubbing gets transferred to the edge of the blades and further results in shredded cheese on your plate.
11. Shaving Blades
Have you ever noticed your shaving blade? Doesn’t it form a shape of a wedge machine? When you apply a razor to your skin, what it does?
It cuts the hair on your skin just like a knife. As it works the same as a knife, the only difference is the angle of force applied on the shaving blade.
When you pull your razor on the skin, it pulls your unwanted hair by transferring force from the handle to the edge of the blade.
12. Butter knife
As you definitely familiar with a butter knife when you are having a nice breakfast with your friends and family or with loved ones. As you know, those butter knives are used to apply butter or jam on bread.
As you will see closely at those butter knives, you will feel the sharp edge at the end of the bulgy part of the knife. This indicates the example of a wedge simple machine.
13. Axe
A wedge is a simple machine that can split or cut something with the help of a pointed sharp edge from the end.
When you apply force at the handle of the axe, it gets transferred to the edge of the axe and hence results in cutting the object.
As you go with your days, you will have definitely used an Axe meeting two edges at the same point making it so sharp that can able to cut your desired object.
This axe is a perfect example of a wedge machine which is pointed from the edge and wider from the upside. As axe reduces the effort required to cut your desired object.
Related Posts: 19 Different Types of Axes And Where to Use Them
14. Chisel
Chisels are just closer to the axe in shape but it comes smaller and thinner in size.
The mechanism behind the chisel working is, When the user applies the initial force from the hammer on the head of the chisel, the applied force gets transmitted to the end or bottom of the chisel’s edge and further desired work is done with ease.
As you know. A chisel is a cutting tool having a sharp edge at the end to shape or remove unwanted parts from wood, stone or metals with the help of a hammer.
If you look closely at the chisel sharp edge, you can clearly see the wedge formation, having a wider edge at the top and a sharper edge at the end. The prominent use of the chisel is to make drawings or artwork on stone in my view.
Related Post: What Is Chisel?- Definition, Types and How to Use It
15. Zipper
The zipper is used to bind two pieces of clothes, leather or another piece of soft materials.
It has two rows of metallic or plastic teeth which interlock each other resulting in binding the piece of material.
The zipper also consists of a slider which helps to bind or separate those two rows of teeth stitches with the fabric from both sides of the edge.
The mechanism behind the zipper is that It has two lower wedges in the slider which close the zip and one upper wedge which opens the zip.
16. Vegetable Peeler
If you cook by yourself or if you enjoy cooking, then you will definitely use a peeler to peel out your favourite fruits or vegetable.
If so, I kindly want to inform you that you are using a simplest yet very common example of a wedge simple machine.
Applied force on the handle of the peeler gets transferred to the sharp blade and further, your favourite fruit or vegetable gets peeled off.
Without this simple wedge machine, you can not peel out so easily and effectively without any wastage.
17. Nails
The nails are pieces of metal with absolutely sharp from the edge and flatter from the top and these nails are widely used as simple machines to hang or hold things together.
As you see those nails closely, it forms the shape of a wedge and penetrates inside by separating the inside material such as wood, concrete or bricks.
18. Teeth
You may say… Are you saying about human teeth? Now, you are kidding me.
No, I am not kidding you. Have you ever noticed your teeth?
Making the shape of a wedge and able to separate or split those favourite fruits you put them inside your mouth. As you apply force by pressing your both side frontal teeth on the food you hold in your mouth.
Now, the pressing force travels to the edge of your tee