Transmission

machines · gears · power

Gears working together. A transmission uses two or more gears that fit together and spin against each other. When one gear pushes another, it can make it spin faster, slower, or in a different direction.

Changes your car's power. Your car's transmission takes the engine's spinning power and adjusts it so your wheels can go fast on the highway or have extra pushing strength when climbing a hill. Without it, cars couldn't start smoothly or reach different speeds.

Speed and strength trade. Transmissions let you trade speed for power or power for speed. Gears with different sizes make this possible, kind of like how a bicycle works better in low gear going uphill.

Direction changer too. Transmissions can flip the direction something spins, which is why cars can go forward or backward. Different gears connect and disconnect to make this happen.

Multiplies pushing force. A transmission can increase the twisting force, called torque, sent to the wheels. This is why a heavy truck can move a load that would be impossible to push by hand.