ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Screw thread

A screw thread is a tiny winding shape that is found on things like screws, bolts, and nuts. It's like a little path that goes around and around and around.

Imagine if you had a toy car with a screw thread on the bottom. If you put the car on top of a screw with a matching thread pattern, you could twist the car down the screw and it would move closer and closer to the surface or object the screw is in.

Screw threads work the same way for screws and bolts too. When you twist a screw or bolt into something with a matching thread pattern, it starts to push against the material it's going into. The thread grooves help the screw or bolt bite into the material, like a shark's teeth gripping onto its prey.

Nuts are also important when it comes to screw threads. They fit onto screws or bolts with matching thread patterns and can be twisted on or off. By tightening a nut on a bolt with a thread pattern, you can bring two pieces of material closer together or hold them in place.

In summary, a screw thread is a winding shape that helps screws, bolts, and nuts grip onto things and hold them together. It's like a little path for tiny cars or toys to move along.