A lever is a type of simple machine, which works by creating a mechanical advantage
to perform tasks by changing the magnitude and/or direction of forces. A lever needs a fulcrum
(see figure 1), which is the central pivot for the system, to manipulate forces. A lever also needs
some sort of rigid bar or rod placed in some position on the fulcrum to be functional.
CLASSES OF LEVERS
Class-1 levers have the fulcrum in the middle, and the applied force is up or down on
one of the ends, with the output force being in the opposite direction on the other end.
Examples of class-1 levers include seesaws and scissors. These can be either force
multiplying or distance multiplying.
Class-2 levers have the fulcrum at one of the ends of the lever, and the applied force is
at the other end. The resistance is located in the middle, and travels in the same
direction as the applied force. An example of a class-2 lever is a wheelbarrow. These
levers are always force multiplying.
Class-3 levers are much like class-2 levers, but the applied force is in the middle rather
than at the end. This means that the force a person needs to apply is larger than the
output force (the mechanical advantage is less than 1), but this gives increased control
of the tool. Examples of class-3 levers include tweezers, tongs, and fishing rods. These
levers are always distance multiplying.
MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
Levers use the principle of torque, which is a measure of the input force on something
at a distance from a pivot. With levers, the location of the fulcrum determines the
distribution of the balanced torques on each side.
For a lever, the ideal mechanical advantage is the ratio of the long side to the short
side. Some levers the motion through a greater distance creates more force, like a crow
bar. In other levers they are distance multiplying i.e a greater force through a shorter
distance multiplies the force, like a fishing rod
output force
Mechanical advantage = inputforce
input arm
Mechanical advantage = output arm
Fixed
The wheel of a fixed pulley system is attached to a solid structure such as a wall or a
floor, while the rope is free. This means the pulley itself is stationary. A fixed pulley
offers no mechanical advantage but does allow a person to redirect the force. So rather
than directly lifting a heavy object up, a person can use a pulley to instead lift the object
by pushing down on the rope.
Block and Tackle
A block and tackle is a specialized form of compound pulley that can dramatically
lessen the required amount of work to move a heavy object. A block-and-tackle pulley
system consists of several fixed and moveable pulleys arranged parallel with one
another; fixed pulleys aligned with fixed and moveable pulleys with moveable. Each
compound pair is attached to the next pair, and each set reduces the total work
required.
load
mechanical advantage=
effort
Inclined plane is a simple machine comprising of a sloping surface, used for
raising heavy bodies. The force required to move an object up the incline is
less than the weight being raised vertically, discounting friction. The steeper
the slope, or incline, the more the required force approaches the actual
weight.
The mechanical advantage of an inclined plane can be found by dividing the
length of the plane by its height.
input distance
M . A=
output distance
The mechanical advantage can also be found by dividing the output force by
the input force.
output force
M . A=
input force
If an inclined plane has a height of 1.5m and is 4.25m long, calculate the force
needed to push a box of weight 75N up the inclined plane.
ID
M . A=
OD
4.25
M . A=
1.5
MA= 2.8
A screw is a simple machine that works as a modified inclined plane. Think of the thread of the
screw as an inclined plane wrapped around the shaft of the screw. It allows movement from
a lower position to a higher position. That makes it take up less horizontal space. The
slope of the screw is the distance for one complete rotation while the height of the inclined plane
is the distance between the threads, known as pitch. The relationship between the pitch and
circumference of the screw gives the mechanical advantage.
circumfrence
MA
pitch
A wedge is a mechanism that is thick on one side then tapers into a thin sharp edge. It is somewhat like an inclined
plane But instead of helping you move things to a higher level, a wedge helps you push things apart
its ideal mechanical advantage is the ratio of the depth of penetration L to the
amount of separation achieved t. the input force for a simple incline works along the
hypotenuse of the triangle. For the wedge, the applied force drives the wedge
inward, and the applied force times the depth of penetration is the input work to the
machine.
http://web.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Pulley#Types_of_Pulleys
https://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/engines-equipment/pulley.htm
