What is a machine?

Large and complex devices?

Scissors, pliers and spanners are called
simple machine.

10.1 Levers
1. Levers are simple machine which makes work easier

Using a claw
hammer to pull

Using a stick to lift

Using a wrench to tighten

A simple machine which consists a bar

that turns about a fixed point called
fulcrum.
Example: scissors, spanners, bottle
openers, pliers, staplers, nut crackers,
paper cutters and wheelbarrows.
scissors

Bottle openers

Pliers

staplers

Nut cracker

Wheelbarrows

A lever enables a small effort to

overcome a large load.
The long stick is called the lever.

Effort (E)
Fulcrum (F)

Load (L)

Effort (E)
Fulcrum (F)

Load (L)
E = which is the force exerted by the boy.
F = which is the fixed point where the lever
turns about.
L = which is the force from the large rock which
must be overcome.

The longer the distance of the effort

from the fulcrum, the less effort is
required to lift the load.
If the man presses downwards at point
Q, he will need to use more effort to lift
the load.

Levers can be classified into three

classes:
a)First class lever
b)Second class lever
c)Third class lever.
depend on the position of the
fulcrum.

Load
Fulcrum

(L)

(f)

Effort
(E)

Effort
(E)

Load
Fulcrum

(f)

(L)

Effort
(E)

Load
Fulcrum

(f)

(L)

effort

load

fulcrum

Advantages

First class lever

The fulcrum is
between the load and
the effort.
The load and the
effort act in the same
direction.

A small effort can lift a heavy load if the

effort arm is longer than the load arm.

hammer

effort
load

load

fulcrum
effort

-TIN OPENER
-SCISSORS

A pair of pliers

effort

Second class lever

fulcrum

load

Advantages

The load is between

the fulcrum and the
effort.
The load and the
effort act in the
opposite direction.

The effort is always less than the load.

-PAPER CUTTER

-BOTTLE OPENER
L

L
E

E
F
Nut cracker

L
Wheelbarrows

effort
fulcrum

Third class lever

The effort is
between the fulcrum
and the load.

load
Advantages

The load and the

effort act in the
opposite direction.

A short distance moved by the effort

makes the load move through a longer
distance.

E
staplers

L
-ICE TONG

-FORE-ARM
Fishing rod

effort
fulcrum

fulcrum

load

load
fulcrum

load

The Principle of a first class lever.

Load
arm

Effort
arm

load

effort
fulcrum

Load(N) X load arm(m) = effort(N)X

effort arm(m)

The Principle of a second class lever.

Effort
arm

load
fulcrum

effort
Load
arm

Load(N) X load
arm(m)

= effort(N) X effort
arm(m)

The Principle of a third class lever.

Load
arm

effort

fulcrum
effort
arm

load

Load(N) X load arm(m) = effort(N)X

effort arm (m)

Attention !!!!
The load arm is the distance from the
load to the fulcrum.
The effort arm is the distance from the
effort to the fulcrum.

Worked example 1
80cm
2N

effort

30cm
What effort is required to keep the lever in a
horizontal position?
Effort X effort arm = load X load arm
Effort X (80 30) = 2 X 30
Effort

= 2 X 30
50

= 1.2N

effort

Worked example 2

4N

100cm
load

60cm

Calculate the weight of the load.

Load X load arm = effort X effort arm
Load X (100 60) = 4 X 100
Load

= 4 X 100
40

= 10 N

Worked example 3
Effort = 12 N
9N

80cm

At what distance from the fulcrum must the

effort act to maintain the lever in a horizontal
position?
Effort X effort arm = load X load arm
12 X E

= 9 X 80
E

= 9 X 80 = 60cm
12

The moment of force

1.When we open a door or use a spanner
to loosen a nut, we are applying a force
that causes a turning effect to accomplish
the desired task.
2. The turning effect is called the moment
of force.
3.The moment of force is the product of
the force and the perpendicular distance
from the fulcrum to the force.
d

Force

Moment of force (Nm)= force (N) X

perpendicular distance (m)
From the equation:
a)The greater the force used, the
greater is the moment of force.
b)The longer the distance, the greater
is the moment of force.

activity :10.2
Aim:To show the relationship between
moment and the product of force and
distance.
Diagram: Figure 10.6
Procedure:
1.The apparatus was set up as shown in
Figure 10.6. The fulcrum was at the 5cm
mark of the half-metre rule while the 5N
weight was hung from the 15 cm mark.

2.The spring balance was used to lift

the other end of the half-metre rule at
the 45cm mark. When the half-metre
was horizontal, the reading of the
spring balance and the distance from
the spring balance to the fulcrum were
recorded.
3. The product of the force and its
distance from the fulcrum was
calculate.

4.Steps 2 and 3 were repeated with the

spring balance at the 40cm, 35cm and
30cm mark of the half-metre rule.
5.My readings were recorded in the
table as shown below.

Observation:

Distance (m)
0.40
0.35
0.30
0.25

Force (N)

Force X
distance (Nm)

By :