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Lever
Lever
~ Archimedes
Introducing… The Lever
• A lever includes a stiff structure (the lever) that
rotates around a fixed point called the fulcrum.
fulcrum
• Lever – A bar that is free to move about a
fixed point
– Parts of a lever
• Fulcrum – The fixed point of a lever
• Effort Arm – The part of the lever that the effort
force is applied to (measured from the fulcrum to
the point at which the force is applied)
• Resistance Arm – The part of the lever that applies
the resistance force (measured from the fulcrum to
the center of the resistance force)
Anatomy of the lever
1
ft.
MA = 3 / 0.75
MA = 4
Solve…
Sometimes levers are used
to multiply distance. For a
broom, your upper hand is
the fulcrum and your lower
hand provides the input
force.
MA = 0.3 / 1.2
MA = 0.25
Explain…
Set-up:
Input Arm = 2
2/x=4
Output arm = 0
Solve for x by multiplying
MA = 4 both sides by the
denominator which is x.
You get: 2 = 4x