Second-Class Lever

In second class lever pivot is at one end and the force is applied on the other end.

  • The load is situated in the middle of these two.
  • The order of this would be pivot-load-force.

Examples of Second Class Lever

The examples of second lever are discussed below:

Wheelbarrow: A wheelbarrow is a second-class lever where the load is placed between the pivot (fulcrum) and the force (handles), allowing for easier lifting of heavy loads.

Nutcracker: In a nutcracker, the nut serves as the fulcrum, the force is applied at one end by squeezing the handles together, and the resistance is the shell of the nut, which breaks due to the applied force.

Bottle Opener: When opening a bottle using a bottle opener, the fulcrum is the edge of the bottle cap, the force is applied at one end of the opener, and the resistance is provided by the cap, which is lifted off.

Door: A door can also be considered a second-class lever, where the hinges act as the fulcrum, the force is applied at the edge of the door handle, and the resistance is encountered at the point where the latch or the door’s weight resists opening.

Types of Lever

Levers are the simple machine devices, designed to do tasks with minimum effort. A lever improves an input force to produce a higher output force, resulting in leverage. Machines were created and made by humans to reduce human effort. A simple machines is a device that change the direction or magnitude of a force and make the work easier. There are numerous sorts of levers based on the position of the a pivot, force, and weight. Levers help us move things with less effort. By changing the direction or size of the force we apply, they make difficult tasks possible. They’re also used to gain speed or distance in movement.

In this article, we will learn in detail about types of levers along with their example. We will also learn what is lever and how they are classified using mechanical advantage.

Similar Reads

What is a Lever?

A lever is a simple machine consisting of a rigid bar or beam that is capable of rotating around a fixed point called a fulcrum. Levers are commonly used to amplify or redirect force, allowing for easier movement or manipulation of objects. Levers are of three types, first class levers, second class levers, and third class levers. Before proceeding to types of levers, let’s learn terms related to levers....

Types of Lever

A lever is a stiff bar that rests on a fixed point with less force. The three different types of levers exist, depending on where the input force, fulcrum, and load are....

First Class Lever

First Class Lever is a type of lever with the pivot located between the weight and the force generated....

Second-Class Lever

In second class lever pivot is at one end and the force is applied on the other end....

Third Class Lever

Third Class Lever are the levers in which the fulcrum is at one end and the force is applied in the middle and the weight is on the other end....

Types of Lever based on Mechanical Advantage

Mechanical advantage is a measure of the effectiveness or efficiency of a machine in amplifying or redirecting force to accomplish a specific task. It quantifies the ratio between the output force or load and the input force or effort applied to the machine. It is given as Mechanical Advantage = Output Force(Load)/Input Force(Effort). The classification of levers based on mechanical advantage is tabulated below:...

Conclusion

The main use of levers is mechanical advantage which is defined as the quantity a special machine multiplies a force applied. This can be calculated or found out by considering the location of load, effect and fulcrum which in turn gives the type of lever and the amount of mechanical advantage the machine has. When the effort is in a longer distance from the fulcrum then the load becomes easier to move. It is equal to the ratio of the effort of the load and the distance from the effort of fulcrum to the load of the fulcrum’s distance. If the distance of effort to the fulcrum is larger than the load of the fulcrum’s distance then there is a mechanical advantage in the lever. Thus, the ratio of the two distances will be greater than one which means that when there is a long distance from fulcrum to the effort and a short distance from the fulcrum to the load then a small effort will move a heavy or large load....

FAQs on Types of Lever

What is a lever?...