Name____________

Lever Lab

Station 1: Levers are amazing simple machines that can help you lift heavy objects
with little force. Levers use the principle of work to take advantage of force and
distance trade-offs: Work = Force Distance A lever works by putting in a little
force over a large distance to equal a larger force over a small distance

Steps:
1) Set up your lever as shown in picture 1. Try to lift the
load by pushing with one finger at the effort point. Keep
adding to your load until you cant lift them with just one
finger.

2) Look at the distance between the load and fulcrum and the effort and fulcrum.
Move the pencil (fulcrum) around to see where its
easier or harder to lift the book, keep in mind the
distances.

3) Set up your lever as shown in picture 2. Then try to

lift the book by using one finger at the effort point.

4) Set up your lever as shown in picture 3. Then try to

lift the load by using one finger at the effort point.

What did you notice about the fulcrum location and

the effort needed?

Write a general rule describing this relationship:

Station 2: Parts of a First Class Lever
Step 1: How to Set up Your Lever:
1. The edge of the table will act as your fulcrum

2. Place the ruler (lever) on top of the fulcrum with one half of it on the table

and the other half off the side of the table.

3. Place the weight (the load) on the edge of the ruler resting on the table.

4. Use the ruler edge that is off the table to connect the spring scale for

applying and measuring the effort force.

Step 2: Hypothesis: As you change the distance between the fulcrum and the load,

what do you think will happen to the force required?

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Step 3: Determine the amount of force needed to lift your weight without a lever

using the scale: _______

Step 4: You will now move your fulcrum, load and force around to different

locations on the ruler. You will draw and label the location of each, and the

amount of force required to lift your weight for each trial.

 Trials Draw Your Lever Force Applied To
Label Fulcrum, force and Lift (N)
load
1: Fulcrum is at the 10
cm mark

2: Fulcrum is at the 15
cm mark

3: Fulcrum is at the 20
cm mark

4: Fulcrum is at the 25
cm mark

Step 5: Based on your data, write a rule that explains the relationship between
force required and location of fulcrum.
Station 3: This cart can be used as two of the three classes of levers. Take turns
playing around with this cart. You may sit in it, but do not stand!

When you have figured out which two of the classes of levers it can be used as,
draw them with labels and explain your two answers in the space below.

Then call the teacher over to verify your answers.

Station 4: Simple Machines in the Real World

Move around the tables and answer the questions based on the materials at each
table:

Table 1: Determine what class lever each of these objects are:

1. Tweezer:
2. Prongs:
3. Hammer:

Table 2: Determine what class lever each action demonstrates and why it is that
class:
1. Hammer a nail into the board:

2. Remove the nail with the crowbar or back of the hammer:

Table 3: Look at the pliers and bolt cutter. Describe the difference between the
two:

Table 4: Determine what class lever each of these objects are:

1. A shovel prying up dirt from the ground:

2. A shovel tossing dirt:

3. Mattock chopping at the dirt:

4. Mattock prying up under a rock to lift it: