Problem
You arecampingwithyourfamilyandyourbestfriend.Nowyouwanttositbyacampfire.Andit’syourturntohelpstart it!
Youandyourfriendgatherlogs.Youmakeapile.Youraunttriestolightthemwithamatch.Nothinghappens.Shesmiles.“Weneedsmaller pieces.”
Buthow?Thewoodistoohardtobreakwithyourhands.“Weneedatool,” yourfriend says.
Solution
Yourememberseeingasmallaxeinaboxofcampinggear.It’stheperfecttoolforthe job!
Youbringittoyouraunt.Shestandsalogonend.Sheswingstheaxe.Thebladestrikesthe wood.
THWACK!Thelogsplitshalfway.Anotherswing.CRACK!Itsplitsintwo.Soon thelogisinpieces.Thepiecesaresmallenoughtostartafire.Problem solved!
WithapowerfulCHOP,this axeheadsplitsthewood.Theaxeheadisa wedge.
It'sSimple
Theaxeisagoodtooltosplitwood.It’sasimplemachine.Simplemachineshelpusdojobs.Theymovethingsfaster,farther,ormoreeasilythanwecanwithout them.
Youprobablydon’tthinkofanaxeasamachine.Ablenderoracarmightcometomind.Thesemachineshavelotsof parts.
Simplemachineshavejustafewparts.Somehaveonlyonepart.Nearlyeverymachine,however,ismadeupofoneormoresimplemachines.Theaxethatyouusedtosplitthewoodisasimplemachinecalledawedge.It’sshapedlikeatriangle.Howdoesit work?
Itstartswitheffortfromyou.Youswingtheaxe.That’stheforcebehinddrivingtheaxebladeintothe wood.Thewedgeshapeoftheaxepushesthewoodsideways.CRACK!The sideways forcesplitsthe wood.
