An event at the Dome, November 29th, 2000
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The Death of
Distance: from Pythagoras to Galileo An event at the Dome, November 29th, 2000 |
Ancient
Egyptians
Levers
| Types of
levers graphic from The Way Things Work 2 (Dorling Kindersely Multimedia CD-ROM) |
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| In this diagram a force F is being applied to the left end of the lever. The left end of the lever is twice as long (2X) as the right end (X). Therefore on the right end of the lever a force of 2F is available, but it acts through half of the distance (Y) that the left end moves (2Y). Changing the relative lengths of the left and right end of the lever changes the multipliers. |  |
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A lever
Move the red point (representing effort) to operate
the lever. Compare how far the red point moves up and down with how far the
load (the black point) moves up and down.
Use the sliders at the top to
adjust to these positions:
load: fulcrum:effort (like scissors)
fulcrum:
load: effort (like a hole punch or bottle opener)
fulcrum: effort: load
(like a hammer or pincers)