TEDed - The mighty mathematics of the lever

What is the fundamental principle behind the lever?

• Using magic to move heavy objects

• Applying the basic laws of physics

• Performing impossible feats

• Balancing forces with equal distances

What are simple machines?

• Devices that make our lives easier

• Basic laws of physics

• Instruments and tools

• Heavy objects that require leverage

What are the three main components of a lever?

• Effort arm, resistance arm, and fulcrum

• Effort force, resistance force, and weight

• Effort arm, resistance force, and fulcrum

• Effort force, resistance arm, and weight

What is the relationship between the magnitudes of forces and their distances from the fulcrum?

• The magnitudes are inversely proportional

• The magnitudes are directly proportional

• The magnitudes are unrelated

• The magnitudes are equal

What does a lever trade-off in order to make a task easier?

• Distance for force

• Force for distance

• Weight for balance

• Balance for weight

How can a lever be used to lift heavier objects?

• By increasing the length of the effort arm

• By decreasing the length of the resistance arm

• By increasing the weight of the fulcrum

• By decreasing the weight of the object

What is the weight of the Earth?

• 6 x 10^24 kilograms

• 384,400 kilometers

• 1.5 billion times the distance to the Andromeda Galaxy

• 40.6 kilometers

How long would a lever need to be to lift the Earth?

• 3.7 meters

• 10 meters

• 40.6 kilometers

• 1.5 billion times the distance to the Andromeda Galaxy

What is the purpose of levers and other simple machines?

• To make our lives easier

• To perform impossible feats

• To balance forces

• To disperse weight