What is a lever?
A lever is a simple mechanism that can help make hard work easier to do.
It has three important parts:
- load
- fulcrum
- effort
Levers can help to lift heavy loads, as well as make things go up and down.
Levers can be found in many everyday items. For example, a door handle, a pair of scissors, a can opener and even a wheelbarrow all contain levers.
Video: How to make a lever mechanism?
Follow along as Fran, Ezra and Neveah make a lever mechanism from some pieces of paper and card.
Fran: Hi, I'm Fran and I'm in my workshop with Ezra and Nevaeh. Do you know what a mechanism is? It's a system of moving parts that work together to make something happen and we're looking at lever mechanisms.
Ezra: You can find levers all around you.
Nevaeh: Door handles
Ezra: Wheelbarrows
Nevaeh: Spades
Fran: And I've got a simple lever mechanism right here.
Ezra: That looks like a seesaw!
Fran: Ah! Well a seesaw is a lever mechanism and here's how it works.
Fran: The force of my hand pushing down on the lever makes it move. This is called the effort. The fulcrum is the point at which the lever turns or is supported. And the thing that is moved is called the load.
Fran: And then you have the movement of the lever or the motion. The type of motion the seesaw makes is an oscillating motion. This means it goes back and forth like the pendulum of a clock.
Fran: What are you two both making?
Ezra: We're making a moving picture by using a lever.
Fran: And what's your lever going to do?
Nevaeh: It's going to make our fish jump into the ocean.
Fran: Now, did you know that scissors are also an example of a lever?
Fran: So, where you're holding the scissors in the handle, that is the effort. And then the load is where they're doing the cutting. But, can you spot where the fulcrum is?
Fran: Brilliant yes, it's where the blades cross.
Fran: Now you're going to need a fulcrum on your lever on your picture, so we need to decide where you're going to put the hole on your picture.
Fran: So, where do you think that's going to be?
Ezra: I will make a dot where the hole will go and then I'll use the pencil to make a hole. I'll work on sticky tack so I don't hurt my fingers.
Fran: That is a great idea! And we're also going to need a matching hole in our lever.
Nevaeh: Can I do it?
Fran: Of course you can!
Fran: Now we need to attach these two pieces together and we can do that using the split pin, so put the split pin through both of the holes, and then carefully separate the two sides of the split pin and push them all the way back, nice and carefully.
Fran: Do you think we should cover that up to keep it nice and neat?
Children: Yes
Fran: Should we use that little bit of card there?
Ezra: It really looks like it's diving!
Nevaeh: Dive in, dive out, dive in, dive out.
Fran: That is oscillating motion!
Nevaeh: Do levers always have a fulcrum?
Fran: Good question! Yes, they do, but it's not always in the middle, but it is always the point at which the lever is turned, basically where it's supported. So, why don't you have a go at making a lever mechanism of your own?
How does a lever work?
A lever has three important parts:
1. Load - The load is the thing to be moved. It could be a big rock, a bucket of toys, or even a friend sitting on a seesaw.
2. Fulcrum - This is the spot where the lever sits. It allows the lever to move up and down, side to side, in a curve or round and round.
3. Effort - This is the power we use to make the lever work. When we push or pull to move things we use our muscles to make the lever do its job.
When effort is used to push down on one end of the lever, the load on the other end goes up.
This makes it easier to lift heavy objects because you can use the lever to help with the hard work.
Examples of levers
Have a look at these examples of levers that might be found in and around your home.
Image caption, Door handle
When someone turns a door handle, they are using a lever to open or close the door.
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Scissors and levers
Scissors are two levers put together.
The middle part where they join is the fulcrum. Scissors use a fulcrum to help you cut things.
When the handles are pressed together (effort), it makes the sharp parts cut the paper (the load).
Find the fulcrum
Take a look at these pictures and see if you can spot the fulcrum.
Key words
| Effort | The power used to make the lever work. People can use their muscles to make the lever do its job. |
| Fulcrum | The place where the lever sits or moves. |
| Lever | A simple mechanism that helps people move things more easily. It has three important parts - the fulcrum, the load, and the effort. |
| Load | The heavy thing people want to lift or move using the lever. It could be a big rock, a toy, or something else that is heavy. |
| Mechanism | A set of moving parts that work together to make something happen. |
Quiz
Test your knowledge and find out what you know about levers.
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