Paper 1: Lever Systems

Lever Systems: Mechanical advantages:

Lever systems help you to move. They can increase the amount you can lift or the
1st Class Lever Advantage
speed in which you can move something. You need to be able to:
• Draw the three classes of lever Will vary depending on the distance of
• Describe the lever the load and the effort from the
• Give examples in sport fulcrum

Key Words
2nd Class Lever Advantage
Lever: Is a bone and is shown as a straight line
Able to lift heavier loads owing to its
Fulcrum: Is a pivot or joint and is shown as a triangle F large effort arm

Effort: Is a force provided by muscles and is shown by an arrow E 3rd Class Lever Advantage

Load: Is the weight of the body/object being moved, it is shown as a square L Provides speed and wide range of
Levers: movement owing to a long resistance
arm
Lever Description Sporting example

1st Class Identifying lever systems:

The fulcrum is
Each lever system can be identified by the component in the middle:
surrounded by the
effort and the One Two Three
load Heading a ball F L E
(fulcrum) (load) (effort)
2nd Class
The load is
surrounded by the
fulcrum and the
effort
Calf raises

3rd Class Lever

The load is Effort = Biceps Effort = Triceps Effort = muscles
surrounded by Load = water Load = Body weight Load = bat/ball
the fulcrum and Fulcrum = hand/oars Fulcrum = Feet Fulcrum = shoulders
st
the effort 1 class lever 2 nd
class lever 3rd class lever
Bicep curl (fulcrum in the middle) (load in the middle) (effort in the middle)