Gears
Core route · mechanical systems
Ratios, torque, and tooth geometry you can actually feel.
This note makes gear trains readable by motion instead of formula alone. Change tooth counts, watch rotation directions flip, and see why ratios, torque tradeoffs, and involute geometry all belong in the same conversation.
At a glance
The maintained version lives at the route linked here, with this garden note keeping the embed and editorial framing.
Gear ratios are easy to state and harder to internalize. This lets you see how speed, torque, and motion direction interact in one place.
Begin with a simple two-gear pair, then build a train with different tooth counts. Once the ratio behavior clicks, compare it with [[Mechanical-Watch]] to see the same logic inside a more complex machine.
About 8 to 12 minutes. Beginner friendly. Easier than Mechanical Watch and a better warm-up if you want shorter first contact.
Embed
Reading path
- Open the live interactive: https://kohnnn.github.io/interactive-explanation/gears/
- Continue through Mechanical-Watch for the flagship mechanical-system explainer
- Continue through Primary Interactive Hub when you want a broader curated browse after this
- Move through Visual Notes when you want the broader visual-explainer shelf