Levers

Front

What is a lever?

Back

A lever is a simple machine that consists of a rigid bar that pivots around a fixed point called the fulcrum, used to lift or move loads.

Front

What are the three classes of levers?

Back

1st Class, 2nd Class, and 3rd Class.

Front

What is a 1st Class lever?

Back

A lever where the fulcrum is located between the effort and the load, e.g., a seesaw.

Front

What is a 2nd Class lever?

Back

A lever where the load is between the fulcrum and the effort, e.g., a wheelbarrow.

Front

What is a 3rd Class lever?

Back

A lever where the effort is between the fulcrum and the load, e.g., a pair of tweezers.

Front

What does IMA stand for in levers?

Back

IMA stands for Ideal Mechanical Advantage, which is the ratio of the distance from the fulcrum to the point of effort to the distance from the fulcrum to the load.

Front

How does a lever increase force?

Back

A lever increases force by allowing a smaller effort to lift a larger load over a greater distance.

Front

What is the formula for calculating IMA of a lever?

Back

IMA = Distance from fulcrum to effort / Distance from fulcrum to load.

Front

What is the advantage of using a 3rd Class lever?

Back

A 3rd Class lever allows for a greater range of motion and speed of the load, even though it requires more effort.

Front

What is an example of a 1st Class lever?

Back

A seesaw or a pair of scissors.