Third Year Science

Moments, Levers and

Centre of Gravity
 In this topic:

• Levers

• Moment of a force
• Centre of Gravity
Levers
Levers are everywhere!
 Levers
Lever: a rigid body that can rotate (pivot)
around a fixed point
Fulcrum: the fixed point when using a
lever
Examples of levers:
• Door handle
• Wheelbarrow
• Wrench
 How a Lever Works
Fulcrum fixed point around which the lever turns
The force (usually a weight) that you want
Load to move

Effort Force applied by YOU

EFFORT

FULCRUM
 How a lever works
There are 3 terms associated with levers
• Force (or effort)
• Load
• Fulcrum
Where is the
Fulcrum?
Moment
 What happens when you try to
open a door with one finger?
Where do you push?

Hi, my
name is
Mr Stick

hinges
Do you push near the hinges?

I can’t do it!
Do you push far from the hinges?

That’s easier!
 The turning effect of a force
depends on two things:
1. The size of the force

Obviously!
 The turning effect of a force
depends on two things:
2. The distance from the fulcrum (axis of rotation)

Not quite
so obvious!

Fulcrum
 Moment
Moment: the turning effect of a force

It is equal to the force multiplied by the

perpendicular distance from the fulcrum
 Moment
Perpendicular distance from
Moment = Force x fulcrum to line of action of
the force

Units: Newton
metres (Nm)
Calculate the moment of the force in the
diagram below
Moment = Force x ⊥
distance from fulcrum
to line of force action
• Force = 7 N
• ⊥ distance from fulcrum to force action = 0.8 m
• Moment of the force = 7 N x 0.8 m
• Moment of the force = 5.6 Nm
 5N
3. Which direction
1. What does 2. What is will the
thisForce
number Fulcrum
this?
Anti-clockwise
see-saw turn?
Mean?
 5N

Force Fulcrum Anti-clockwise

 How can we increase the size
of the moment (the turning effect)?

Fulcrum

Distance from
force to fulcrum

Force
(effort)
 10cm

5N
50 Ncm
Fulcrum

Calculate the moment (turning effect) of the force

applied to the see-saw. Give the units.
 5cm

5N
25 Ncm
fulcrum

Calculate the moment (turning effect) of the force

applied to the see-saw. Give the units.
 10cm

10N
100 Ncm
fulcrum

Calculate the moment (turning effect) of the force

applied to the see-saw. Give the units.
 Law of the Lever
When a lever is balanced, the sum of the
clockwise moments equals the sum of the
anticlockwise moments
 The girl on the left exerts The girl on the right exerts
an anti-clockwise moment a clockwise moment

When an object is balanced it is in

equilibrium
 10m 10m

Left Right
Moment Moment

100 Nm 100 Nm

10N 10N
fulcrum
see-saw
The The istheofforces
moments But are
BALANCED. why?balanced
 10m 7m

Left Right
Moment Moment

100 Nm 70 Nm

10N 10N
fulcrum
But what happens if the blue dragon moves
in a little?
 10m 7m

Left Right
Moment Moment

100 Nm 70 Nm

10N 10N
fulcrum
The moment of force on the left is bigger
 10m 10m

Left Right
Moment Moment

100 Nm 200 Nm

10N 20N
fulcrum
What happens if the blue dragon gets fatter?
 10m 10m

Left Right
Moment Moment

100 Nm 200 Nm

10N 20N
fulcrum
The moment of the force is greater on the right
 10m 10m

Left Right
Moment Moment

100 Nm 200 Nm

10N 20N
fulcrum
But can we balance them both again? How?
 10m 5m

Left Right
Moment Moment

100 Nm 100 Nm

10N 20N
fulcrum
By reducing the distance from the fulcrum for the
blue dragon
Centre of Gravity
 Centre of Gravity
Centre of Gravity: A point through which all
of the weight of an object appears to act
Or it can also be described as:

The point from which an object

balances
 Centre of Gravity
• If a fulcrum is set up at the centre of gravity, it
will balance
• A metre stick’s centre of gravity is at 50 cm
Activity: To find the centre of
gravity of a thin lamina
• Pin the lamina to
the cork through 1
hole and hang the
plumb line
• Mark out the line
• Repeat through
other 2 holes
 Activity: To find the centre of gravity
of a thin lamina
• Centre of gravity = Where all 3 lines intersect
 Equilibrium
• Remember:
Equilibrium: when an object is balanced
and still
• A metre stick hung at 50 cm (its centre of
gravity) is in equilibrium
 3 States of Equilibrium
StableEquilibrium

Theballwillreturntothesame
positionifgivenaslightpush
UnstableEquilibrium
Theballwillnotreturntothe
samepositionifgivenaslight
push
NeutralEquilibrium

Theballwillreturntoasimilar
positionifgivenaslightpush
 Stability
If objects are stable, they won’t fall over easily

If the object’s weight acts

from the centre of gravity,
through its base, it is stable

If the object’s weight acts

from the centre of gravity,
outside its base, it is unstable
and will fall
 Stability
• To improve stability:

1. Use a wide base

2. Lower the centre of

gravity
Chapter 35: Moments, Levers
and Centre of Gravity
DONE!!