NOTES

AUGUST 2021
Ch 15: TURNING ON A PIVOT

GRADE : 8 SUBJECT: PHYSICS

 A device which is used to lift an object with the help of a supporting fixed point is
called a lever.

 A philosopher named Archimedes was the first person to study about lever
scientifically.

 A device that changes the direction in which a force acts is called a lever.

 The change in the direction is called turning effect.

 The fixed point is called a fulcrum or a pivot.

 The remaining part of the lever is called arm. One is effort arm and the other is
load arm.

 In a lever, if a small force is applied on one arm it causes large force on the arm.
So, lever is also known as a force multiplier. i.e., we are able to lift heavy
objects using a lever.

 Whenever a force is applied on a lever,

i) If the point of force is near to the fulcrum, then we need to apply more
force.
ii) If the point of force is far to the fulcrum, then we need to apply less
amount of force

To produce turning effect in a lever.

That means, force and distance are inversely proportional to each other.

 The force applied on a lever is called effort, whereas the force opposing the
movement is called load.

Types of Levers:

 Based on the usage of levers, they are divided into 3 types. They are A first
class lever, A second class lever and A third class lever

 A first class lever is that in which pivot is in the center and the effort and the
load are on the either sides of it.

 Ex : crowbar,see-saw, scissors etc

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  A second class lever is the one in which pivot is at one of its ends, effort is at
the other end and load is in between.

Ex: bottle opener, wheelbarrow, nut cracker etc

 A Class 3 lever the one in which pivot is at one of its ends, load is at the other
end and effort is in between.

Ex: broom, tongs, fishing rod etc

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Moment of force:

 The turning effect produced by a force around a fulcrum is called the moment
of force.

 The direction of the turning effect or the moment always depends on the amount
and direction of force applied on a lever.

 Based on the direction of force applied, it is specified as clockwise or

anticlockwise about the fulcrum.

 Moment is calculated by the product of force applied on the lever and the
distance between the point of force and the fulcrum.

Moment of force = force * distance from the fulcrum

Units: Nm

 A lever is said to be balanced (or) equilibrium only when the total clockwise
moment is equal to the anticlockwise moment about the fulcrum.

 This is also called as law of moments (or) principle of moments.

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