What is Machine: Definition and 966 Discussions

A machine is a human-made device that uses power to apply forces and control movement to perform an action. Machines can be driven by animals and people, by natural forces such as wind and water, and by chemical, thermal, or electrical power, and include a system of mechanisms that shape the actuator input to achieve a specific application of output forces and movement. They can also include computers and sensors that monitor performance and plan movement, often called mechanical systems.
Renaissance natural philosophers identified six simple machines which were the elementary devices that put a load into motion, and calculated the ratio of output force to input force, known today as mechanical advantage.Modern machines are complex systems that consist of structural elements, mechanisms and control components and include interfaces for convenient use. Examples include: a wide range of vehicles, such as automobiles, boats and airplanes; appliances in the home and office, including computers, building air handling and water handling systems; as well as farm machinery, machine tools and factory automation systems and robots.

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  1. Q

    Square Hole, Exploding Shell, Rotating Molecule, and Atwood's Machine

    1. A uniform square plate 7.2 m on a side has had a square piece 3.9 m on a side cut out of it. The center of the missing piece is at x = 1.65 m, y = 0. The center of the square plate is at x = y = 0. What is the x-coordinate of the center-of-mass of the remaining piece? 2...
  2. X

    Atwoods Machine Problem

    Homework Statement Two masses are connected over a pulley which has a friction resistance of 0.147 N. What is the minimum mass difference to cause the pulley system to have a non-zero acceleration when released from rest? Total Mass = 250 g Homework Equations a= g[(m))/((M)]-...
  3. K

    Atwoods MAchine with two pulleys and three masses

    Homework Statement A system contains two pulleys, over the first pulley there is mass 3, m_3, on one end of the rope. the other end of that rope is connected to the second pully. Hung on the second pulley are mass 2, m_2, and mass 1, m_1. Find the acceleration constraint in terms of a_1 and...
  4. S

    Finding Gravitational Acceleration with Atwood Machine Graphs

    Homework Statement I have 3 graphs: accleration vs. total mass, acceleration vs. mass difference, and acceleration vs. inverse total mass. How can I get the gravitational acceleration from these 3 graphs ? I am doing a lab report on word and excel Homework Equations I don't...
  5. W

    What Is the Acceleration in an Atwood Machine with Blocks of 396 N and 180 N?

    In the drawing, there are two blocks connected by a rope and pulley. One block is on the table while the other is hanging off of the table. Block A, with a weight of 396 N, is on the table. Block B is hanging off of the table, and has a weight of 180 N. Ignore all frictional effects and assume...
  6. C

    Moment Calculations for a Machine

    Hi, this may seem like a silly question to ask, but it has to do with +/- signing when taking the moment about a point. I have images attached to this post to make things a little clearer. Homework Statement The compound-lever pruning shears shown can be adjusted by placing pin A at various...
  7. O

    A machine that absorbs CO2? How?

    I found this article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080929123941.htm and it talks about a machine that absorbs CO2 invented by a professor from University of Calgary. I'm thinking to make a feasible model of it for construction (it's actually a school project), but the machine...
  8. W

    How to solve Chips in milling machine?

    1)Anyone can figure out the chips problem due to milling a glass material BK7.? 2) I am using Ichikawa Milling machine where the table rotate and the spindle rotate to mill the material. After do ralf cutting which I set the speed to 60. It produces chips on the edges of the piece.
  9. B

    Atwood's Machine- Calc Based & Differentials

    Homework Statement Consider the Atwood's machine of Lecture 8. We wish to use this machine to measure our local acceleration of gravity with an accuracy of 5% [i.e. (Delta g)/g = 0.05]. To begin, suppose we let the mass m_1 fall through a distance L. 3.1 Find an expression for the...
  10. F

    Atwood's machine and accuracy

    Homework Statement We hope to use Atwood's machine to measure gravitational accleration with an accuracy of 5% [(Delta g)/g = 0.05]. Mass m1 is heavier than m2 and it falls through a distance L. We are able to measure time with accuracy of (Delta t) = 0.1s. If we say, for any x, (delta...
  11. B

    Bought new machine that 220V 50HZ - Will it work in US?

    I got a piece of machine imported from China and after inspecting the motor it was 50HZ after looking at the specs on the motor itself. I asked about this from the start and was told it would have 60hz motor. Now aftering contacting the manufacture they said it would run just fine and to try it...
  12. A

    News Voting machine problems and voters being struck from the rolls

    I saw on the news (ABC & Fox) that voters in swing states are being struck from the rolls in some states - Mississippi - ~ 10,000 I'm not sure how true the report is but it is disturbing in a deja-vu kinda way. There are also problems with the machines in Fl. and some other states. Do any of you...
  13. A

    Solving Machine Problem 1: Frictionless Steel Shuttle

    1. A machine has a steel shuttle that is moving along a fixed unlubricated steel rail pulled by an elastic shuttle cord, which is at an angle The shuttle has a mass of 800g and is released when the elastic cord has 20N tension at an angle of 45 degrees. I know how to solve the problem...
  14. A

    How Does a Cat Affect the Acceleration of a Modified Atwood Machine?

    Homework Statement Given in this problem is a modified Atwood Machine (block A sits on a horizontal surface with a massless rope attached which goes horizontally over a frictionless pully attached to the edge of the "cliff" which is attached downward to block B) W of A = 45.0 N, W of...
  15. D

    How Is Tension Calculated in an Atwood Machine with Equal Masses?

    Homework Statement In an atwood machine which is a pulley with two wieghts attached to it (m1 and m2), m1= m2, how much tension is found on the string? I thought that it would be zero tension on the string but that appeared to be wrong. How would you solve it? The Attempt at a Solution
  16. M

    How Do You Design a Moore Machine for a Specific Output Sequence?

    Here's the problem: A Moore sequential circuit has one input and one output. When the input sequence '011' occurs, the output becomes '1' and remains '1' until the sequence '011' occurs again in which case the output returns to '0'. The output remains '0' until '011' occurs a third time...
  17. S

    Help with an angled atwood machine problem

    Hey Guys, I have attached my problem and all my work for it. The work presented in my handwriting is the attempt I figure most accurate. All my other attempts were experimental to no avail :( I think I must be overlooking something really basic. Any assistance or pointers are greatly...
  18. B

    Atwood machine mass accleration problem

    Homework Statement A light pulley can rotate freely about its axis of symmetry which is fixed in a horizontal position. A massless inextensible string passes over a pulley . At one end the string carries a mass 4m, while the other end supports a second massless pulley. A second string...
  19. J

    Basic vending machine logic circuit, with visual

    1. Homework Statement Design a logic circuit to simulate the circuitry that might exist in a vending machine. the vending machine accepts inputs of nickels, dimes, and quarters but only one of each. It dispenses water and beer. Use three logic switches to simulate the coin detectors one each...
  20. J

    Engineering Basic Logic Circuit for a vending machine

    Homework Statement Design a logic circuit to simulate the circuitry that might exist in a vending machine. the vending machine accepts inputs of nickels, dimes, and quarters but only one of each. It dispenses water and beer. Use three logic switches to simulate the coin detectors one each for...
  21. B

    Finding g and Atwood's machine

    Hi! I have an assignment to write a mini-essay of sorts on Atwood's machine. One of the things I need to cover is how to find the value of g by using Atwood's machine. I really have no idea how to do this. I was thinking about rearranging a= [(m2-m1)g] / (m1+m2) but I don't understand how to...
  22. T

    Is This Perpetual Motion Machine Really Possible?

    I just read about a new perpetual motion machine and it looks like it will work. You take a cat and tie a piece of toast on to its back. then you butter the toast and toss the cat into the air. Since the toast has to land butter side down and the cat always lands on its feet it spins forever.
  23. Greg Bernhardt

    Amazing Cat Tricks: Watch the Machine in Action!

    This is pretty cool! Cat style machine doing tricks! http://www.youtube.com/trexgonewild
  24. T

    Can self inductance be reduced for higher power factor in a PMSG?

    Hi i am working in a highly inductive trapiziodal PMSG the machice inductance affects the operation of the power electonics converters. Any one can help me how i can reduce the effect of such propolem ?
  25. C

    MATLAB Designing a Simple Lottery Machine: User Input & Prize Calculation

    I need help writing the code for a simple lottery machine. Here are the key points. Ask the user to choose 3 numbers between 1 and 20. Randomly generate 3 winning numbers that are between 1 and 20. Determine how many, if any, of the users numbers match the winning numbers. If (hypothetically)...
  26. G

    Is Combining a Heat Engine and Heat Pump a Perpetual Motion Machine?

    A heat engine is combined with a heat pump so that the entire system is an isolated system. In the heat engine, energy shifts from the hot reservoir so that some of it is used for work and the rest is sent to the cold reservoir. The work, however, is used entirely for the heat pump, in which...
  27. E

    Why is the Earth a perpetual motion machine

    Seems like an odd question - but if your an astraunaut in Earth orbit and travel with it around the sun - your going different speeds around the sun but always traveling the same distance away from any two points on the sun every second (keplers #2) the how = closer you are to sun, the faster...
  28. M

    Problem on an atwood's machine given an upward acceleration

    The pulley in an atwood's machine is given an upward acceleration a. Find the acceleration of each mass and the tension in the string that connects them. so my problem here is deriving the equation for the acceleration of both masses considering that the system was applied with an upward force...
  29. ~christina~

    Catch a Lobster- The Real Claw Machine

    http://kk.org/ct2/lobster.gif Lobster claw machine :rofl: It's real, no joking. http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/05/13/lobster-catching-arc.html
  30. Cincinnatus

    Medical Split from: Transfer of knowledge: machine to brain

    What would it mean to "transfer data directly from brain to brain"? We can assume that "data" in the brain amounts to some spatial-temporal pattern of activation across many neurons. This is a very reasonable assumption to make in light of what we know about neuroscience. There's no way to...
  31. M

    Newscientist claims machine violates 2nd law of thermodynamics

    http://www.newscientist.com/channel/fundamentals/mg19826614.400-physicists-atomsorting-demon-created-with-lasers.html?feedId=online-news_rss20" "The demon appears to bring order to chaos without expending energy, violating the second law of thermodynamics. " So correct me if I am...
  32. S

    Solve The Law of the Machine | 750kg Load, 26N Effort

    Homework Statement A screw jack has a single start thread of pitch 7mm and a operating handle 800mm long.when raising a load of 750kg the effort required on thev end of the handle is 26N. determine for these operating conditions the following : (a) the mechanical advantage (b) the...
  33. Holocene

    Most powerful machine ever constructed?

    Does anyone know what the most powerful machine ever constructed might be, say in terms of energy produced? I've heard it is the Saturn V rocket, but I'm willing to bet one of the existing particle accelerators could surpass that. Anyone?
  34. R

    State Machine Design for Repeating Sequence: 0,2,4,6,1,3,5,7 with 4 Bit Counter

    Homework Statement Design a state machine that repeatedly goes through the following sequence: three repeats of 0,2,4,6 followed by 2 repeats of 1,3,5,7. An observer watching the machine should see the states over and over: 0,2,4,6,0,2,4,6,0,2,4,6,1,3,5,7,1,3,5,7... The Attempt at a...
  35. C

    Turing Machine Help: Construct & Describe Work for Calculating Logic Expression

    Homework Statement I need to construct and describe work od Touring machine which will calculate the value of logical expression with Boolean operators AND and OR. The simbol of input track which match logic operator AND is *, and simbol od input track that match logic operator OR is +...
  36. L

    What is the Study of Chemical Transformation through Organic Lifeforms Called?

    Hi, This is probably a really easy question, but I need help in finding the answers to it. Let's say I have a some raw chemical A (example: water) and I want to make it into a chemical B (example: something with an -OH). However, I don't want to use any chemical means but do everything via...
  37. wolram

    ]Building a Better Wave Energy Machine: Can it Be Done?

    Would it be possible with modern materials and know how to build a better Duck? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wave_power His invention, Salter's Edinburgh Duck, continues to be the machine against which all others are measured. In small scale controlled tests, the Duck's curved cam-like body...
  38. C

    Complement of Universal Turing Machine - Does this exist?

    Complement of Universal Turing Machine - Does this exist?? I am kind of confused in terms of the creation of machine which does NOT (Universal Turing Machine). I mean I construct a TM which will simulate UTM and accept strings it rejects and rejects strings it accepts. So if L(UTM) defined as...
  39. S

    Fusion or not with Van De Graaff machine and very high voltage

    Using a Van De Graaff (VDG) machine, we can easily generate million-volt high voltage. The high potential difference can be generated effectively with minimum energy supplied to the machine. The larger the volume of the machine would be, the higher the voltage could get. However, stability would...
  40. S

    How to Create a Truth Table for a 10 Cent Coffee Machine?

    Coffee Machine Desgin help PLEASE! Hey Everyone, Not sure if this is where I can post this topic. I have a project in class to design a 10cent coffee machine. We just have to create the truth table, write the SOP form. Draw the circuit on @ltera and program the CPLD. I am having trouble...
  41. Mk

    Hawaiins Sueing Doomsday Machine

    http://fliptomato.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/litigious-lhc/ Sanchez & Wagner v. DOE http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/03/27/823924.aspx Hmmmmm...
  42. ~christina~

    Solving Joule Machine Problem [SOLVED] joule machine

    [SOLVED] joule machine.. Homework Statement In joule's apparatus below, the mass of each block is 1.50kg, and the insulated tank is filled with 200g of water. What is the increase in the emperature of he water after the bocks fall through a distance of 3.00m...
  43. E

    Washing Machine Hazard Rate Problem

    Homework Statement The number of years that a washing machine functions is a random variable whose hazard rate function, h(t), is given by - 0.2 if 0 < t < 2 - 0.2 + 0.3(t - 2) if 2 <= t <= 5 - 1.1 if t > 5 If the washing machine is still working six years after being purchased, what...
  44. M

    Angular Acceleration of at woods machine

    Homework Statement An Atwood's machine consists of two masses, m1 and m2, which are connected by a massless inelastic cord that passes over a pulley, Fig. 10-70. If the pulley has radius R and moment of inertia I about its axle, determine the acceleration of the masses m1 and m2 (a), and...
  45. Y

    Double Atwood Machine and acceleration

    Homework Statement The double Atwood machine shown in the figure has frictionless, massless pulleys and cords. http://session.masteringphysics.com/problemAsset/1057076/4/GIANCOLI.ch04.p56.jpg Determine the acceleration of masses mA, mB, and mC. Homework Equations F=ma The Attempt...
  46. R

    Double Atwood Machine and tension

    Homework Statement Find the tension in the string attached to mass 1 and mass 3. Find the acceleration of masses 1,2, and 3. The problem looks similar to the attached image except m1 and m2 are leveled. Express the answers in the given quantities and constants. I will call the tension in the...
  47. C

    Thane Heins and his free energy machine

    Thought you guys might find this article interesting and that maybe it would spark some conversation. What are your thoughts on this? I think it's pretty incredible, but there has to be something that limits the process so that he can't take power away from the motor completely. Video...
  48. D

    Video: Scientist plans Time Machine - Is this possible?

    Please watch the video first. Its only about 5 minutes long: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRWwI61so5Q&NR=1 Thats really fascinating to me but I feel that somethings strange about it. Can you imagine this? As soon as he turns the machine on he could get messages from the future...
  49. M

    A perpetual motion machine that will work

    a perpetual motion machine that will work... A magazine held a competition, inviting its readers to submit new scientific theories on ANY subject. Below is the winner: Subject: Perpetual Motion When a cat is dropped, it always lands on its feet, and when toast is dropped, it always...
  50. M

    Time Travel with Laser Ring: Dr. Ronald L. Mallett's Theory

    I've just finished reading the book "Time Traveler - A scientist's personal mission to make time travel a reality", by Dr. Ronald L. Mallett, professor of physics at the University of Connecticut. In this book Mallett explains a new theory to travel back in time using a laser ring, which creates...
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