What is a pulley?

A pulley is a wheel with a groove on its outside edge.  A cord or belt fits in this groove.

At one end of the cord is the load that needs to be lifted.

Pulleys change the amount of force needed to do work and the direction of the applied forces.

Pulleys can be used to help overcome the force of gravity by making it easier to lift items that weigh a lot.

There are three types of pulleys: fixed pulley, movable pulley, and a combination pulley.

Real life examples of pulleys.