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Classes of Levers

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Levers are divided to three classes depending on the

position of the fulcrum (F) relative to the position of the
effort (E) and Load (L)/Resistance. The input force is the
effort and the output forces the load or the resistance.

E
L

Class 1 Levers: Fulcrum in the middle:

the effort is applied on one side of the
fulcrum and the resistance (or load) on
the other side, for example, a seesaw,
a crowbar or a pair of scissors.

Class 2 Levers: Resistance (or load) in

the middle: the effort is applied on one
side of the resistance and the fulcrum is
located on the other side, for example,
a wheelbarrow, a nutcracker, a bottle
opener or the brake pedal of a car.
Class 3 Levers: Effort in theFmiddle: the
resistance (or load) is on one side of the
effort and the fulcrum is located on the
other side, for example, a pair
of tweezers or the human mandible.

These classes can be remembered easily by the mnemonic FLE123 where

the Fulcrum is in the middle for the 1st class lever, the Load is in the
middle for the 2nd class lever, and the Effort is in the middle for the 3rd
class lever.

QUIZ

Name the class of lever each of the simple machines belong.

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