Make a Lever

A lever is a type of simple machine. You can make one and experiment
with how moving the pivot point, or fulcrum, changes the way the lever
can lift things.
What You Need:
 A sturdy wooden ruler, piece of foam board, or thin piece of wood
(we used a 24” piece of basswood, which can be purchased at a
craft store)
 A large binder clip
 Weights or variety of objects (or small paper cups and pennies to
use as weights)
What You Do:

1. Remove the metal clips from the base

of the binder clip by squeezing the
sides together and fitting the ends
through the groove.

2. Set the lever (ruler, foam board, or

wood) over the binder clip. Position it
near the middle so that the board is
balanced. The binder clip is called the
fulcrum, which gives your lever a pivot
point.
 3. Place a weight on one end and note what
happens to each end of the lever.

4. Move the fulcrum (binder clip) closer to

the end with the weight.

5. Place a lighter weight or object on the other

end. If nothing happens, adjust the position of
the binder clip (fulcrum) until the heavier end is
raised up.

6. You have just made a lever and used it to lift

a heavy object with a lighter one!

7. You can experiment more by moving the

fulcrum and changing the placement of the
weights.

Question: What do you think would happen if you moved the fulcrum
the opposite direction?
Elaborate
Answer the following questions. 
1. What are the examples of levers used in school?

2. How do levers help make work easier?

3. What happens to the effort if the amount of load

is increased?