Types of Lever

Levers are the most basic machines which are used to do some work with minimal effort. A lever
amplifies an input force to provide a greater output force, which is said to provide leverage. We are
aware that there are various types of levers depending upon the position of the fulcrum, the force and
the weight. Every tool which is used to perform work comes under any one of this category.

What are the different types of lever?

According to where the load and effort are located with respect to the
fulcrum, there are three types or classes of lever:
 First-Class Lever
 Second Class Lever
 Third Class Lever

What do you mean by load, effort and fulcrum of the machine?

First Class Lever
This is a type of lever which has the fulcrum in between the weight and the force applied. Its order is
represented as force-fulcrum-weight. This is the most basic type of lever.

Example:

 Our hand pushing an object or seesaws, crowbars.

 Using scissors represents the use of two first-class levers.
 A wheel and axle is also an example.
 Pulling a nail out of a wooden plank also represents a first-class lever.
Second Class Lever
In this, the fulcrum is at one end and the force applied is on the other end. The weight is situated in
the middle of these two. The order of this would be fulcrum-weight-force. The application of force at
one end will result in some work done on the other end.

Example:

 Wheelbarrow
 Staplers
 Doors or gates
 Bottle openers
 Nutcracker
 Nail clippers
Third Class Lever
These are the levers in which the fulcrum is at one end and the force is applied in the middle and the
weight is on the other end. The order is represented as a weight-force-fulcrum. In this case, we have
to apply more energy to displace the weight to a longer distance.

Example:

 Fishing rod
 A broom
 A baseball bat
 A bow and arrow
 Human jaw
Mechanical Advantage of Lever
Mechanical Efficiency of Lever

Difference between mechanical advantage and efficiency ?

Efficiency

Efficiency is the ratio of the work performed by a machine or in a process to the total energy
expended or heat consumed.

Efficiency refers to how close we can get to a particular outcome of the given input with as much
less wastage as possible. Efficiency is the ability to minimise wasting materials, efforts, energy and
time in performing something or producing the desired result.

Efficiency can be determined quantitatively by the ratio of useful output to total input. The ratio of
energy transferred to a useful form compared to the total energy supplied initially is called the
efficiency of the device.