Todays lesson

Know what the turning effect of a force is

Know that the moment of a force depends on
force and the distance from the pivot
Know the principle of moments

What happens when you try to open a

door with one finger?
Where do you push?
Hi, my
name is
Mr Stick

hinges

Do you push near the hinges?

I cant do
it!

Do you push far from the hinges?

Thats
easier!

The turning effect of a force depends

on two things;
The size of the force
Obviously!

The turning effect of a force depends

on two things;
The distance from the pivot (axis of rotation)
Not quite so
obvious!

Axis of rotation

Turning effect of a force

The turning effect of a force is called the
moment of the force
The moment is calculated by multiplying the
force by the distance from the pivot

Turning effect of a force moment of

a force

Moment (Nm) = Force (N) x distance from pivot (m)

Note the unit is Nm, not N/m!

What do you think?

How is the turning force or moment affected by the
distance from the pivot?
As the perpendicular distance increases the turning
force increases
How is the moment affected by the force (effort)
exerted?
As the force increases the moment increases

A simple example!

50 N

0.15 m
nut

spanner
(wrench)

A simple example!
Moment = Force x distance from pivot

Moment = 50 N x 0.15 m
50 N

Moment = 7.5 Nm
0.15 m
nut

spanner
(wrench)

What do you do if the nut wont move

and you cant push harder?!

50 N

0.15 m
nut

spanner
(wrench)

Get a longer spanner!

Moment = Force x distance from pivot

Moment = 50 N x 0.25 m
50 N

Moment = 12.5 Nm
0.25 m
nut

spanner
(wrench)

More than one force

Take an uneven see-saw for an example
Do you think well
be safe in this
power point?

pivot

Its not
looking
good!

If the see-saw is balanced, what must be the

weight of the dog on the left?

1.2 m

2.2 m

pivot

?N

110 N

The force on the left is trying to turn the see-saw

anticlockwise about the pivot

1.2 m

2.2 m

pivot

?N

110 N

The force on the right is trying to turn the seesaw clockwise about the pivot

1.2 m

2.2 m

pivot

?N

110 N

If the see-saw balances, the turning effect

anticlockwise must equal the turning effect
clockwise

1.2 m

2.2 m

pivot

?N

Anticlockwise moment

110 N

= clockwise moment

Anticlockwise moment = clockwise moment

? X 1.2 = 110 x 2.2
? X 1.2 = 242
? = 242/1.2
? = 201.7 N
1.2 m

2.2 m

pivot

?N

Anticlockwise moment

110 N

= clockwise moment

Is Moment a vector quantity?

Does the direction matter?

Calculate the moments below. In which direction are they

acting? Clockwise or Anticlockwise?

Moments can either be

clockwise or anticlockwise.

Experiment -Testing the principle of moments

What did you notice about
the anticlockwise moment
and the clockwise moment?

When forces act in a different direction, yet still balance, the total
turning effect in each direction will be the same:
sum of clockwise moments = sum of anticlockwise moments

Examiners Tip:
An easy way to remember the order of the components
in a particular class of levers is the mnemonic;
1, 2, 3, - FLE

Where 1, 2, 3 refers to the class of the lever and F, R, E

refers to the middle component.
1. F as the middle component
2. L
3. E

Three
Classes of
Levers

Classes of Levers
First Class Lever
A first-class lever is a lever in which
the fulcrum is located between the
input effort and the output load.

In operation, a force is applied (by

pulling or pushing) to a section of
the bar, which causes the lever to
swing about the fulcrum,
overcoming the resistance force on
the opposite side.

The fulcrum may be at the center

point of the lever as in a seesaw or at
any point between the input and
output.
This supports the effort arm and the
load.

Examples:
Seesaw
Scissors (double lever)

Effort

fulcrum

First Class Lever

Resistance

Fulcrum is between EF (effort) and RF (load)

Effort moves farther than Resistance.
Multiplies EF and changes its direction
The mechanical advantage of a lever is the ratio of the length of the lever
on the applied force side of the fulcrum to the length of the lever on the
resistance force side of the fulcrum.

Examples of first class levers

Common examples
of first-class
levers include
crowbars,
scissors,
pliers,
tin snips
and seesaws.

Second Class Lever

Resistance

Effort

RF (load) is between fulcrum and EF

Effort moves farther than Resistance.
Multiplies EF, but does not change its direction
The mechanical advantage of a lever is the ratio of the distance
from the applied force to the fulcrum to the distance from the
resistance force to the fulcrum.

Explanation

Three Lever Classes

Second class lever

Resistance is located between the effort force and the fulcrum.

Always multiplies a force

Example: Wheelbarrow

R
F

Always multiplies a force.

Examples of Second class levers

Second Class
Lever
In a second class lever the input effort
is located at the end of the bar and the
fulcrum is located at the other end of
the bar, opposite to the input, with the
output load at a point between these
two forces.

Examples:

Paddle
Wheelbarrow
Wrench

Examples of second-class levers

Examples of
second-class
levers include:
nut crackers,
wheel barrows,
doors,
and bottle
openers.

Third Class Lever

EF is between fulcrum and RF (load)

Does not multiply force
Resistance moves farther than Effort.
Multiplies the distance the effort force travels
The mechanical advantage of a lever is the ratio of the distance
from the applied force to the fulcrum to the distance of the
resistance force to the fulcrum

Classes of Levers
Third Class Lever
For this class of levers, the input
effort is higher than the output load,
which is different from second-class
levers and some first-class levers.
However, the distance moved by the
resistance (load) is greater than the
distance moved by the effort.
In third class levers, effort is applied
between the output load on one end
and the fulcrum on the opposite end.

Examples:
Hockey Stick
Tweezers
Fishing Rod

Explanation

Three Lever Classes

Third class lever

Effort force located between the resistance and the fulcrum.

Effort arm is always shorter than resistance arm
MA is always less than one

Example: Broom

There is an increase distance

moved and speed at the other end.
Other examples are baseball bat or
hockey stick.

Examples of Third Class Levers

Examples of
third-class
levers include:
tweezers,
arm hammers,
and shovels.

Third class lever in human body.