Why wheels are round

Imagine trying to parallel park with a square "wheel. In this video you can see how the driver can easily turn the wheel and make corrections with relative ease.

Engineers use the circle to get the most torque from a single point of rotation. Torque from the steering wheel comes where the angle is between the point of force and the axis to the line of energy.

The only way to maximize the torque at all optimal points is to use a circle. With a circle, a vehicle can have consistent torque at all angles of movement. There are two different types of steering systems that allow a vehicle to turn appropriately, including those nice U-Turns that everybody checks when purchasing a new car: The rack and pinion system, and the gearbox system.

Both systems use levers and angles to turn the wheels in the proper place for the intended destination. The rack and pinion system work by having a steering column connected to a universal joint. The universal joint makes it so that the steering wheel can remain in one place without having to move it side to side to steer.

There is a pinon at the bottom of the steering column connections that are connected to a rack. When the wheel is turned, the pinion turns the rack , which pushes or pulls the wheels in the direction they need to go to make the turn. The steering box system works by placing the steering column inside a gearbox, which holds a rod with a spiral cut into it, and a pin that turns with the steering wheel. As you turn the wheel, the mechanism rotates the peg, which turns the wheel.

At the beginning of this video you can see the basic operation of how the power steering box works. The circular design of a steering wheel gives the operator control over the entire vehicle and time to react to sudden movements in the road. Because of the circular design in the steering wheel, you can grab the wheel at any position, and it takes the same amount of force as well as the same rotational distance to turn the vehicle.

If a driver needs to move over a lane suddenly, they can accomplish this task with minimal effort , and the movement is the same every time. In the event of a crash, there are no sharp angles that can cause a puncture to the abdominal area of the operator. With a square, triangle, or octagon, the possibility for abdominal lacerations or punctures is present during a crash.

Not to mention that it would become rather difficult to steer and maintain a constant forward motion with any other shape. The circle allows for movement to occur concerning the shape of the human body in a sitting position.

No matter what size or shape of the operator that gets behind the wheel, the motion, movement, and sensitivity is always the same. If someone's weight hasn't caught up to their height yet, the wheel is still comfortable enough to adjust for driving. Hand placement is crucial when trying to find the perfect spot to drive. Whether its 10 and 2 o'clock or the currently recommended 9 and 3 or even 8 and 4, the only way all these combinations are possible is with a round steering wheel.

Round steering wheels are not the only way to turn a car. Here are some other ways that have been tried. Wheels help the car move by rolling smoothly and without much drag. Their circular shape is the most appropriate one as they maintain a uniform and smooth contact with the surface.

Any other shape other than round, such as triangular, square, or rectangular, has edges that would dig into the road. This would make the vehicle rather slow; not to mention they would increase the rolling resistance. Fuel Efficiency:. As rolling resistance increases, fuel consumption by the engine increases too.

Neither did he simply make a nutritious afternoon snack of it. Instead he asked the pertinent question WHY. Why did the apple fall down? And then, he and all of us discovered gravity.

This is but one example. And I am pretty sure there are several. And read on to find out the truths that will be revealed by the answers.

The tyres are the only point of contact between your car and the road. It is actually the tyres that get from point A to point B.

The round shape of the tyres ensures that you are able to do this faster. Tyres move by rolling. And the circular shape is the most appropriate one for this purpose as it maintains a uniform and smooth contact with the surface. Any shape other than round- think square, rectangular, hexagonal etc- has edges or points that dig into the road.

This makes movement slower. And with these shapes, rolling is definitely not an option.