13 Wedge Simple Machines Examples Used in Day-to-Day Life

Hey buddy…

Welcome to Engineers Rail‘s latest awesome blog post, Wedge Simple Machines Examples, by Abhishek.

In this meeting with you, I’ll talk about wedge examples that you obviously use at home without realising that they’re simple machine examples.

In order to save you time, I will now take you to the main topic of this session.

So let’s begin…

Wedge Simple Machines Examples

Wedge Simple Machines Examples-

The following list of the 13 most common wedge examples of simple machines used in day-to-day life:

  1. Axe
  2. Chisel
  3. Knife
  4. Shovel
  5. Scissor
  6. Zipper
  7. Vegetable Peeler
  8. Nails
  9. Teeth
  10. Cheese Grater
  11. Shaving Blades
  12. AP knife
  13. Marrow Spoon

1. 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.

axe cutitng a tree

2. 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.

a lady using chisel and hammer

3. 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.

knife with chopping board and veggies

4. 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.

hand shovel

5. 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.

scissor

6. 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.

zipper with slider

7. 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.

potato is peeling off by peeler

8. 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.

nail

9. 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 teeth and your food splits into pieces and this further lowers your stomach work.

women eating a carrot with teeth

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.

cheese grater with cheese

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.

a lady is shaving her leg

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.

butter knife

13. 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.

marrow spoon

 

Wrapping Up-

This is all I have for now in Wedge Simple Machines Examples. I hope you enjoyed being here and gained some knowledge in return.

Have a good Day.

Peace !!

Recommended Articles, You should read further- 

Simple Lifting Machine: Introduction, types, uses

What are Compound Machines? Working, Uses and More

13 Compound Machines Examples Used in Day-to-Day Life

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