36 38 Flatbed truck Mobility wheelchair MOMENTUM BATTERY 40 Rescue toboggan TRACTION 42 Robot ROBOTICS 44 Glossary 46 Index 48 Credits Lots of different kinds of machines are used to help people who get into difficulty Some such as ambulances snowplows lifeboats or fire engines are kept in a state of alert ready to answer an emergency call at a minute’s notice Others such as river hovercraft are on constant patrol And then there are some machines that offer continual support to those who need help such as mobility wheelchairs and stairlifts Rescue machines do all kinds of work that relies on engineering science and mathematics experts to invent them set them up and introduce new and improved versions And they need well-trained staff who will brave dangers to save people and their possessions from danger Let’s look at some of the rescue machines that help keep the planet safe 3
4 Ambulance ACTION You can hear an ambulance coming from far away Its siren blares and blares Then you can see its flashing lights If you’re in another car you have to get out of the way and let the ambulance pass It may be heading for a hospital carrying a sick or injured person or perhaps dashing to the site of an accident Today they can also be equipped with sophisticated medical equipment and have specially trained emergency medical staff on board What force keeps the ambulance passengers safe
Most ambulances have to carry specific bits of equipment that can be used in emergency situations This includes materials for breathing failure heart disorders burns and broken bones Ambulances also carry gases such as oxygen Modern ambulances include a sophisticated electronic program controlled by sensors This keeps the ambulance balanced and steady even when it is travelling quickly or turning corners at high speed It guarantees a safer and more comfortable ride for the patient inside ANSWER EQUILIBRIUM An ambulance must be able to adjust its balance constantly to cope with the different forces that push and pull at the vehicle as it moves This means the ambulance needs to remain equally balanced or in equilibrium If a force acts on an object and it doesn’t move it means there must be another force acting on it from another direction The two equal forces are balancing each other out This describes the balanced position known as equilibrium (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) equilibrium or equal forces (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) 5
