What Are the Different Classes of Levers?
Fotolia.com”> jQuery(document).ready(function(){ jQuery(‘#jsArticleStep1 span.image a:first’).attr(‘href’,’http://i.ehow.com/images/a06/26/cs/different-classes-levers_-1.1-800X800.jpg’); }); This is a Class 1 lever. Used for centuries, levers are still considered the easiest ways to lift heavy loads. Of the five types of simple machines, levers use the basic principles of force, pivot and load. Force is the effort put forth. The pivot or fulcrum supports the action. The load is the weight. Levers, used alone and in combination with other levers or simple machines, comprise many common items used everyday such as scissors, pencils and bottle openers. Class 1 Levers A Class 1 lever magnifies force or distance, and can change direction. To picture a Class 1 lever, consider the seesaw or teeter totter, basically a board centered on a base. The end of the board where the child sits represents the load; the other end where the adult pushes down constitutes the effort and the base that holds
