Levers & Moments

WALT That a lever is a simple machine which uses a pivot About uses of levers That the turning effect of a lever depends on the force and its distance from the pivot WILF Describe how to make a task easier by increasing the distance between the effort and the pivot Identify levers in a number of household devices

Key words = Balanced, Pressure, Force, Pivot, Distance, Load, Effort.

Starter

Unscramble these words:

gdra

tthsru

crtiinof

ytivrga

Here is a common see-saw, draw a diagram showing where you would sit if you had a friend who was much shorter and lighter than you on the other side and you want the see-saw to balance!

Levers
Pivot
Effort

Load

A force acting on an object can cause it to turn about a pivot.

pivot
What happens to the see-saw when a force is applied on the left-hand side? Does the seesaw turn? If so, clockwise or anticlockwise?

pivot

The left-hand side of the see-saw moves downwards when a force is applied to it this is an anticlockwise turn.

pivot
Copy this

The turning effect of a force is called a moment.

A spanner is a lever that can be used to unscrew a nut. The spanner exerts a moment or turning force on the nut.

pivot

distance from force to pivot

force

If the moment is big enough it will unscrew the nut. If not, there are two ways of increasing the moment.

1. Increase the distance from the force to the pivot

apply the force at the end or use a longer spanner.

pivot

distance from force to pivot

force
If the same force is applied over a greater distance, a larger moment is produced.

2. Increase the force applied

push/pull harder or get someone stronger to do it!

pivot

distance from force to pivot

force

If a greater force is applied over the same distance, a larger moment is produced.

Levers

Consider a situation where Miss Welfare is trying to unscrew a nut using a spanner:

The spanner exerts a MOMENT or TURNING FORCE on the nut. If the moment is big enough it will UNSCREW the nut! If the moment is not big enough how could Miss Welfare increase the moment (turning force)?

Levers and moments

There are two ways to increase a moment:

Increase the DISTANCE from the pivot (get a longer spanner)

OR
Increase the FORCE applied (get a strong man!)

Copy this

The equation (Learn this!)

Newtons

Copy this

Moment = Force x Distance from pivot

N/cm or N/m

cm or m

Levers
Working in groups of 4 create a spider diagram of as many types of levers you can think of. eg: Door Handle

Test your knowledge!

Complete questions on the whiteboard

Youll need a calculator!

To finish!

SPLAT!
Split into two teams BLUES and REDs

The team with the most correct answers wins 3 points each!