Hello, I'm Lou Bloomfield and welcome to how things work at the University of
Virginia. Today's topic, wheels.
[NOISE] Wheels are so common, and have been around so long that we simply take
them for granted. Not only do we avoid reinventing them We
avoid even thinking about them, but that may be a mistake.
Their extreme commonness makes wheels more important, not less.
And giving them a little attention may save you time, money and even misfortune.
When they're used to propel a bicycle or car.
Wheels serve as yet another simple machine.
[SOUND] Without powered wheels, you'd have to imitate a cartoon character by
churning your feet[SOUND] directly on the ground.
But, wheels are far more than simple machines.
They also save us from the limitations of friction.
Without wheels nothing would just roll along.
There would be no free-wheeling adventures and the wheels of industry
would grind to a halt. In fact, wheels are so inextricably
linked to friction that the story of wheels is also the story of friction.