Home > Science Experiments > Simple Machines - Experiment 2 - Lever Lifting: How does the distance from the fulcrum affect work?

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Experiment 2
Lever Lifting: How does the distance from the fulcrum affect work?

Purpose/Hypothesis

A lever is a bar that pivots on a fulcrum. The mass placed on a lever is called the load. In a first-class lever, the fulcrum sits in between the two loads. The load presses down on the lever with a force or effort. In this experiment, you will vary the distances between the applied force, or effort, and the fulcrum to determine how to make the load easier to lift. You will use a ruler as the lever, metal washers as the load, and a small narrow object as the fulcrum.

Before you begin, make an educated guess about the outcome of this experiment based on your knowledge of levers and machines. This educated guess, or prediction, is your hypothesisAn idea in the form of a statement that can be tested by...

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1. Introduction
2. Incline at work
3. Pulley power
4. Lever lifts
5. Experiment 1 - Wheel and Axle: How can changing the size of the wheel affect the amount of work it takes to lift a load?
6. Experiment 2 - Lever Lifting: How does the distance from the fulcrum affect work?
7. Design Your Own Experiment