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The lever system is an easy and convenient way to trade off distance vs magnitude

of force. Even though their product must remain constant, this ability vastly extends

the range of what human beings are able to accomplish, with the magnitude of force

and the range of motion that we can provide with our body parts.

Examples:

-- Need to lift a rock a few inches ? No problem. You can move your arm 2 feet up

or down, with a force of maybe 50 pounds. Use a first-class lever with arms on

either side of the fulcrum in the ratio of 20 to 1. That translates the motion and

force of your arm into 1,000 pounds that can lift the rock about 21/2 inches.

You gave up distance, and you got increased force in the opposite direction.

-- Need to crush a stone or open a walnut ? No problem. When you squeeze your

hand into a fist, you can close your fingers through a distance of maybe 5 inches,

and exert maybe 15 pounds of force. Perfect! Use a pair of second-class levers

connected with a hinge at one end. Hold the loose ends in your hand, place the

stone or the nut 1/20 of the way from the hinge to the open end, and squeeze.

At the place where the nut or stone is, the two sides close 1/4 of an inch with

a force of 300 pounds, which is plenty to crack the shell or the stone. You gave

up distance, you got increased force in the same direction, and you invented

the 'nutcracker'.

-- Need to sweep the floor ? No problem. With one hand, hold the top end of the

broom steady. With the other hand about 1/3 of the way down to the floor, grab

the broom handle and wiggle it back and forth. You're operating a third-class lever.

The ends of the bristles are wiggling beck and forth across the floor with only 1/3

the amount of force you're using on the handle, but they're sweeping three times

as far. You gave up force, and you got increased distance.

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12y ago

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