A wedge is a triangular-shaped tool and a portable inclined plane, counted among the six classical simple machines, used to separate objects, lift them, or hold them in place. It works by converting a force applied to its blunt end into forces directed perpendicular to its sloped surfaces, so that pushing the wedge forward pushes the material on either side apart or upward. The wedge's mechanical advantage is the ratio of the length of its slope to its width, expressed as one divided by the tangent of its tip angle, meaning a narrower, more acute wedge multiplies force more than a blunt one. This simple mechanism, which trades distance for force, has been used for thousands of years, from splitting wood and quarrying stone in antiquity to countless tasks today. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Introduced When (Circa)Existed for thousands of years, first made of simple stone; the hand axe is suggested as an early wedge form. Precise origin is not established. 1 OriginOrigin unknown; earliest documented use is in ancient Egyptian quarries, where bronze wedges broke away stone blocks, alongside water-swollen wooden wedges and, among some Indigenous peoples of the Americas, antler wedges. 1 Sources
1. Wedge (Wikipedia)
History section, paragraph 1
Wedges have existed for thousands of years. They were first made of simple stone.
History section, paragraph 2
The origin of the wedge is unknown. In ancient Egyptian quarries, bronze wedges were used to break away blocks of stone used in construction.
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