by Timothy
| Levers are simple machines used to lift
weights. First let's learn some terms you will need to
know. A load is the thing you're lifting. A fulcrum is
the thing that makes the load lighter. An effort is the
person pushing to make the objects move. There are three
different types of levers as shown in these three
pictures First Class Levers An example of this type is a seesaw. The load is the person that goes up, and the effort applied is the weight of the person that goes down. The fulcrum is in the center in between them. |
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| The same idea is true on Picture 2 of the hammer, nutcracker and the wrench. Notice that a hammer, when used to remove nails, is a lever. |  |
| Second Class Lever and Third Class
Lever An example of a Second Class Lever is a can opener. The difference from the first class lever is that the fulcrum is on the end, instead of in the middle. An example the Third Class Lever is a fishing rod. The load is the fish; the handle end is the fulcrum. Back to Simple Machines |
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Lever Animation |
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