Choose a tool or a device you can investigate. It must not have any source of power other than the person using it. It must use one or more of the six simple machines. Explain how the tool or device is used. What work does a person do while using it? What kind of motion do we see when it’s used?

How it is used:
A person loads materials (like soil, bricks, or garden waste) into the tray of the wheelbarrow. To move it, the person grasps the handles, lifts them to raise the front legs off the ground, and then pushes or pulls the wheelbarrow to transport the load to a new location.

Simple Machines Used:

1. Lever: The wheelbarrow acts as a Class 2 lever. The wheel serves as the fulcrum, the load in the tray is the resistance, and the effort is applied by the person lifting the handles. This arrangement allows the user to lift a heavy load with less effort than if they were to lift it directly.
2. Wheel and Axle: The wheel and its axle allow the wheelbarrow to roll, significantly reducing the friction compared to dragging the load. This makes it easier to move heavy objects over a distance.

Work a person does while using it:
The person does work by:

• Applying an upward force to the handles to lift the load and the front of the wheelbarrow, overcoming the force of gravity.
• Applying a horizontal force to push or pull the wheelbarrow over a distance, overcoming friction between the wheel and the ground, and air resistance.

Kind of motion observed:

• Translational motion: The entire wheelbarrow moves from one point to another in a straight or curved path.
• Rotational motion: The wheel rotates around its axle as the wheelbarrow moves.
• Leverage motion: The handles pivot around the wheel (fulcrum) when the person lifts them, causing the tray to tilt.