LeversLevel 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
pone
nts o
f 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.
First
Cla
ss Le
ver
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:
Third
clas
s lev
erThird class levers
generate speed rather than force
3rd c
lass
exa
mpl
es:
hock
ey st
ick a
nd
base
ball b
at
3rd c
lass
exa
mpl
es
cont
.: ka
yakin
g an
d di
ving
boar
d
3rd class body example
How
can
we
rem
embe
r the
se
leve
rs? 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
Prac
tical
Lab
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
Prac
tical
Lab Create each of the 3
classes of lever using the various pieces of equipment allowed.
1st , 2
nd, 3
rd cl
ass
leve
r exa
mpl
es
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