science

Vezdekhod

Vezdekhod is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Vezdekhod rather than just read about it. In short: The Vezdekhod (Russian: Вездеход) was the first true tank to be developed in the Russian Empire. The word Vezdekhod means "anywhere goer" and in modern Russian means "all-terrain vehicle".

Key takeaways

Vezdekhod belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Vezdekhod to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Vezdekhod from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Vezdekhod (Russian: Вездеход) was the first true tank to be developed in the Russian Empire. The word Vezdekhod means "anywhere goer" and in modern Russian means "all-terrain vehicle". The initial project was indeed an ATV. It did not however progress further than a pre-production model, due to problems in the design. The second design, which can be described as tank was submitted to the military only after the news broke about Western tanks and the government started negotiating purchases of them in 1917.

History

In August 1914, a 23-year-old Russian aircraft designer Aleksandr Porokhovschikov (Rus: Александр Пороховщиков), based in Riga (now in Latvia), offered to build a vehicle with cross-country capability. The working drawings and estimate were finished by January 1915, and on January 13 approval was given to proceed with construction. The Vezdekhod had a welded frame which ran on a wide single track made from rubberized fabric stretched over four drums, with a fifth drum tensioning the track from above. Two small wheels were placed on the sides of the track, and could be lowered to steer it, being controlled by a steering wheel. The machine was propelled by a 10 hp (7.5 kW) petrol engine driving through the rear drum. Porokhovščikov intended that the Vezdekhod should run on the back drum and its wheels while on firm ground, while on soft ground it would lie down on its track. Preliminary automotive testing began on 18 March.

Construction of the prototype began in February 1915 with the first tests on a paved road being carried out in May, with further tests proceeding until the end of the year. In cross-country trials the Vezdekhod was reported to be capable of a speed of 40 Verst per hour (42.6 km/h (26.5 mph)) with simulated armor weight but proved impossible to steer using the wheels provided for that purpose and the project was therefore rejected. The actual performance of Vezdekhod is debated, but according to the test commission Report No. 4563: "It appears that Vezdekhod is a sound and practical idea; it can achieve a speed of 25 Verst/hour (26.67 km/h (16.57 mph)). In addition, Vezdekhod can ascend a slope of 40 degrees inclination, cross a trench three metres wide, and a vertical obstacle of 3/4 metre. All significant holes and rough surfaces were crossed wherever tests were carried out. Vezdekhod steers easily during fast motion, and turns very satisfactorily. In all, Vezdekhod crosses terrain and obstacles impassable to conventional motor vehicles." The project was reopened in October 1916 but no further progress was made. The original blueprints, and possible photographs have been lost, perhaps due to the Revolution of 1917. After Russian newspapers published news about the first British Tanks in World War I, Porokhovschikov argued that the Vezdekhod was the rightful first tank. After the Russian Revolution, Soviet propaganda promoted the idea that Vezdekhod was the first tank.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Vezdekhod

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Vezdekhod claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Vezdekhod before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Vezdekhod ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Vezdekhod

In research: Vezdekhod appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Vezdekhod in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Vezdekhod is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics History of the tank, Russian inventions, Trial and research tanks, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Vezdekhod outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Vezdekhod in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Vezdekhod means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Vezdekhod out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Vezdekhod in simple terms?

The Vezdekhod (Russian: Вездеход) was the first true tank to be developed in the Russian Empire. The word Vezdekhod means "anywhere goer" and in modern Russian means "all-terrain vehicle".

Why does Vezdekhod matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Vezdekhod?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Vezdekhod.