PULLEY

A pulley is a wheel with a rope or cable running over it that changes the direction of a force. Instead of lifting something straight up, you can pull down, which is easier and safer for your body. Pulleys are often used where heavy objects need to be lifted smoothly and with control.

When multiple pulleys are combined, they don’t remove the work — but they spread it out. This means you use less force over a longer distance, making very heavy loads manageable. Construction cranes and elevators rely on pulley systems for this reason.

Memory trick: Pulleys don’t make things lighter — they make lifting smarter.