build a button

Make a button to take home using simple machines!

How it works

Simple machines help make tasks easier by reducing the amount of force needed to complete them. The button press is a lever, and when a downward force is applied, it can easily bend metal (which is very strong) into a diferent shape. Forces are a part of a science called physics, which studies how we use forces and energy every day.

Try this at home

  • Where else have you used/seen a simple machine today?
  • Next time you go to the park, count the number of simple machines you can find.
  • Try making a pulley at home using string and spools! How does the number of spool affect the weight the pulley can support?

Definitions/glossary

  • Physics: The discipline of science that studies the laws of matter and their interactions with energy.
  • Force: A push or a pull. There are a lot of dierent types of forces, for example: friction, tension, normal forces, electromagnetic, etc.

Whats going on in Waterloo

At the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, scientists are looking for answers about our universe; from the very largest to the very smallest. Sometimes the simplest questions lead us to the most profound insights!

Remote video URL

six types of simple machines

How to become a physicist

The first step to becoming a physics student is to graduate from high school with the required math, science, and english courses. After high school, you will attend a post-secondary program. Physics students at Waterloo explore, investigate, and discover the natural laws and processes of non-living matter.