Lesson 2.1: Just Prying into Things

Take the simple board that was used as an inclined plane. Place an object beneath it. You now have made a second simple machine, a lever, which is the simple machine that is the basis of the most common tools used by people.

Read the introduction to levers titled Just Prying into Things on page 134 of your textbook.

Use the following diagram of a lever to answer questions 1 to 4.

< > 1. Which of the parts is the fulcrum?

< > 2. Which of the parts is the effort?

< > 3. Which of the parts is the load?

< > 4. Which of the parts is the lever arm?

Check your answers with those that follow.

Question 5. What is the definition of effort distance?

Question 6. What is the definition of load distance?

Question 7. How many types of levers are there?

Check your answers with those that follow.

Answers to Questions:

<A> 1. Which of the parts is the fulcrum?

<C> 2. Which of the parts is the effort?

<B> 3. Which of the parts is the load?

<D> 4. Which of the parts is the lever arm?

Click to return to where you left off in this lesson.

Answers to Questions:

Question 5. What is the definition of effort distance?

The effort distance is the distance from the fulcrum to the effort. This is the same as the distance from the effort to the fulcrum.

Question 6. What is the definition of load distance?

The load distance is the distance from the fulcrum to the load. This is the same as the distance from the load to the fulcrum.

Question 7. How many types of levers are there?

The reading in the text indicates three types of levers.


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