Lesson T4.2.1

T4.2.1 Changing movement in mechanical systems Quiz: KS3 Design & Technology, Unit 4

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson T4.2.1, Changing movement in mechanical systems: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Design & Technology (National Curriculum), Unit 4: Technical knowledge, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What is a cam in a mechanical system?

    • A shaped wheel or disc that turns and makes a follower move up and down or back and forth
    • A rigid rod joined at both ends that keeps two parts a fixed distance apart
    • A flat metal bar that transfers rotary motion into a straight line for a machine
    • A set of teeth cut around a wheel so that it can drive a chain or belt

  2. What does a gear train do when a small driver gear turns a larger driven gear?

    • It keeps the speed the same and changes only the direction of the rotation
    • It reduces the speed of the output and increases the turning force, or torque
    • It increases the speed of the output and reduces the turning force available
    • It changes rotary motion into straight line motion for a sliding part

  3. What is the job of a pulley system with a belt?

    • To keep two parts of the machine at a fixed distance apart at all times, even under heavy load
    • To change electrical energy into heat energy inside the machine's casing
    • To store energy in a spring so that it can be released later in the cycle
    • To transfer rotary motion from one shaft to another, with the speed changed by the sizes of the pulleys

  4. Which type of gear has cone-shaped teeth that can turn the drive through a right angle?

    • A spur gear with straight teeth that run parallel to the axle of the gear
    • A rack and pinion pair with a small toothed wheel that rolls along a straight toothed bar
    • A helical gear with angled teeth that sit along a shaft running parallel to the drive
    • A bevel gear with teeth cut on a cone so that two shafts can meet at an angle

  5. What is a linkage in a mechanical system?

    • A flexible cord that transfers energy from a motor to a pulley by friction
    • A length of wire that carries electric current from a battery to a switch
    • Rigid levers joined by pivots that transfer and change the motion from one part to another
    • A sheet of metal that is bent to form a box for holding small components

  6. A crank is used to convert rotary motion into which other type of motion?

    • Random vibration motion, which shakes an object in no fixed direction at all
    • Vertical falling motion, which pulls an object straight down toward the ground
    • Reciprocating motion, which is a back and forth movement in a straight line
    • Continuous spinning motion, which keeps turning in a single fixed direction

  7. What is the effect of a 20-tooth driver gear turning a 40-tooth driven gear?

    • The driven gear turns at the same speed and receives the same turning force as the driver
    • The driven gear turns at four times the speed of the driver and receives a quarter of the force
    • The driven gear turns at half the speed of the driver and receives twice the turning force
    • The driven gear turns at twice the speed of the driver and receives half the turning force

  8. What is a lever?

    • A wheel fixed to a shaft that turns when a belt is driven around its outer edge
    • A rigid bar that turns about a pivot, called the fulcrum, so that a small effort moves a larger load
    • A pair of rods that slide inside a tube to allow straight line movement only
    • A flexible strip that bends under load and then springs back to its original straight shape

  9. What is the velocity ratio of a pulley system with a driver pulley of 10 cm and a driven pulley of 20 cm?

    • The driven pulley turns at twice the speed of the driver pulley
    • The driven pulley turns at half the speed of the driver pulley
    • The driven pulley turns at exactly the same speed as the driver pulley
    • The driven pulley turns at a quarter of the speed of the driver pulley

  10. Why might a designer use a worm gear in a product?

    • To store energy in a coiled spring for release in a single sudden action
    • To make the output turn faster than the input without increasing the motor's power
    • To change rotary motion into a repeated up and down movement for a lever
    • To give a large speed reduction in a small space and to stop the output being driven backwards

  11. Which mechanical component is used to change rotary motion into a straight line push or pull?

    • A pulley and belt, where a loop of belt is driven around two wheels of equal size
    • A bevel gear pair, where two cone-shaped gears turn with axes at right angles
    • A rack and pinion, where a toothed bar moves when a gear wheel turns against it
    • A spring and washer, where a coil is squeezed flat and then released to push

  12. A designer wants a part to rise and fall in a steady pattern from a continuously turning shaft. Which component is most suitable?

    • A bevel gear pair, with the gears set at an angle of exactly ninety degrees
    • A cam and follower, with the cam shaped to produce the required rise and fall pattern
    • A simple lever, with a fixed fulcrum at one end and a load on the other end
    • A pulley and belt, with the pulleys set at the same diameter as each other

  13. A machine turns a 10 cm pulley at 300 revolutions per minute into a 30 cm pulley through a belt. What is the speed of the larger pulley?

    • 900 revolutions per minute
    • 300 revolutions per minute
    • 30 revolutions per minute
    • 100 revolutions per minute

  14. Which feature of a mechanism stops it from moving smoothly if it is badly designed?

    • Accurate alignment of gears, which keeps the teeth meshing with a smooth action
    • Lubricated bearings, which allow the parts to rotate with little resistance
    • High friction between moving parts, which wastes energy and can cause wear
    • A small number of moving parts, which reduces the total amount of wear

  15. A toy crane uses a winch with a handle turning a drum. Which motion is changed into which?

    • Linear motion of the handle becomes rotary motion of the drum that raises the load
    • Rotary motion of the handle becomes linear motion of the load on a sliding bar
    • Vibration of the handle becomes a steady continuous spin of the drum and cable
    • Rotary motion of the handle becomes rotary motion of the drum that raises the load on a cable

  16. Why do designers use a ratchet and pawl in some mechanisms?

    • To allow motion in one direction only while preventing the reverse movement
    • To make the mechanism run more quietly by reducing the sound of the moving teeth
    • To change the speed of a motor so it can drive a load at a steady rate
    • To convert electrical energy into light so that the mechanism can be seen in the dark

  17. What is the follower in a cam mechanism?

    • The part that rests on the edge of the cam and moves as the cam turns
    • The shaft on which the cam is mounted, which turns continuously at a fixed speed
    • The spring that returns the cam to its starting position at the end of each cycle
    • The belt that links the cam to the motor's drive pulley so that both turn together

  18. Why is a bearing used around a rotating shaft?

    • To reduce friction so the shaft turns smoothly with less wear and wasted energy
    • To convert the rotation of the shaft into electricity for the motor's circuit
    • To store rotational energy so that the shaft keeps turning when the motor is switched off
    • To increase friction so that the shaft is held firmly in one fixed place at all times

  19. A cyclist fits a larger front chainring but keeps the same rear sprocket. What happens to each turn of the pedals?

    • The gears slip and the back wheel stops turning completely until the chain is re-fitted
    • The wheel turns the same distance per pedal turn, but the chain stretches more quickly
    • Pedalling becomes harder, but each turn of the pedals moves the bicycle further
    • Pedalling becomes easier, and each turn of the pedals moves the bicycle a shorter distance

  20. Which mechanical system would best convert the rotation of a motor into a sliding movement of a door?

    • A pair of bevel gears, where two cone-shaped gears turn at right angles to each other
    • A lever, where a fixed bar pivots about a point and rotates a load in an arc
    • A set of pulleys, where a belt drives two equal wheels at the same speed
    • A lead screw, where a rotating threaded rod moves a nut along its length

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