Levers

Level 1 Physical Education

Pakuranga College 2011

Leve

rs

Levers are simple machines

made up of a pivot (fulcrum),

effort, and resistance (load)

arm.Levers help apply force.

Longer levers result in greater

speed. Good for throwing &

striking.Shorter levers result in greater

strength. Good for pulling,

pushing and lifting.The most common lever found in

the human body is the 3 rd class lever

Com

ponents

of

a

leve

r

Fulcrum – the pivot

point around which the movement happens.Load – The weight

that needs to be moved.Effort – The place

where the force is applied. In the body this is the

effort produced by the contracting

muscles.

Leve

rs in

the

hum

an b

ody

Levers are made up of

the joints (fulcrum), and the bones that connect them to the

objects being moved.

Levers in the human

body can be manipulated to improve speed, and apply large forces at

the same time.

Firs

t C

lass

Leve

r

These levers can help

to either increase force or generate more speed depending

on the position of the

fulcrum.

1st class example: rowing oar

1st class body example:

Seco

nd C

lass

Le

ver These levers allow

more force to be produced because the effort arm, is longer than the resistance arm.

2nd class lever examples: running and press-ups

2nd class body example:

Thir

d c

lass

leve

rThird class levers

generate speed rather than force

3rd c

lass

exa

mple

s:

hock

ey

stic

k and

base

ball

bat

3rd c

lass

exa

mple

s co

nt.

: ka

yaki

ng a

nd

div

ing b

oard

3rd class body example

How

can w

e

rem

em

ber

these

le

vers

?

FLE 123This Statement shows

what element is in the

middle: Fulcrum is in the middle

in 1st class levers Load is in the middle in

2nd class levers Effort is in the middle in

3 rd class levers

Pract

ical L

ab

Here's what you'll need:• a 30 cm plastic ruler• 10 objects of varying weights• a pencil/pen• a level desk or table

top

Pract

ical L

ab

Create each of the 3

classes of lever using

the various pieces of

equipment allowed.

1st, 2

nd , 3

rd c

lass

le

ver

exam

ple

s