Step 1: Pick a Topic

Force and Motion: Levers

Step 2: Research
• http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-
projects/project_ideas/Phys_p014.shtml?
fave=no&isb=c2lkOjEsaWE6UGh5cyxwOjEscmlkOjUxMzA0MjI&from=T
SW
• http://www.enchantedlearning.com/physics/machines/Levers.shtml
• http://www.fearofphysics.com/Seesaw/seesaw.html
• http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-
projects/project_ideas/Phys_p065.shtml?
fave=no&isb=c2lkOjEsaWE6UGh5cyxwOjEscmlkOjUxMzA0MjI&from=T
SW
• http://www.pbs.org/parents/cyberchase/show/episodes/604.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lever&oldid=198005759
• Stop Faking It! Energy, by William C. Robertson

Step 3: Question
Where should the fulcrum be placed to require the least amount
of force to lift a 50 g load?

Step 3: Variables
Manipulated Variable: Placement of fulcrum
Responding Variable: N of force or number of grams to move load
Controlled Variables:
• Same cup on each end
• Same Wooden Ruler and pen (as the fulcrum)
• Same amount of load (50 g)
• Newtons or grams measured when ruler is touching the table
• Same amount of tape holding the cup to the ruler

Step 4: Hypotheses WITH Research

I think the fulcrum placed the closest to the ruler will take less
newtons of force or grams, to lift a 50 g load. I think this because
I’ve found, through research, that a fulcrum is part of a lever in a
simple machine. A lever makes work easier and uses less energy
or requires less force to lift a load. I have also noticed that people
use levers to help them complete daily tasks.
Step 5: Materials List
Wooden Ruler 12 inches (30 cm)
1 or 2 Plastic Bathroom Cups 3oz (88.7 mL)
Ink Pen with cap
50 g weight
Push Pull Spring Scale or Metal Washers for gram weights
Masking Tape

Step 6: What’s the Plan?

1. Research
2. Details of testing – see variables
3. Measurable results- newtons and/or grams
4. Log
5. Repeat test – 3 trials

Step 7: Procedure
1. Build Lever
a. Use 5 cm of masking tape rolled under each cup.
b. If using metal washer to measure grams, place each
cup at the end of the ruler.
c. If using the push pull spring scale to measure, only use
one cup.
d. Put a 50g piece in one cup at the 0 cm end, this is the
load.
2. Place the fulcrum, pen, at the 21 cm mark on the lever. Hold
pen in place with one hand.
3. Measuring Force:
a. Use the push end of the push pull spring scale to push
down on the rulers end until the ruler touches the table.
b. Place gram pieces into the cup until the ruler touches
the table.
4. Record results, and repeat two more times for three trials.
5. Repeat procedure with fulcrum, pen, at 15 cm and 8 cm
marks on the ruler.
Step 8: Data

Fulcrum Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

21 cm 1.5N / 150g 1.5N / 150g 1.5N / 150g
15 cm .5N / 50g .5N / 50g .5N / 50g
8 cm .1N /10g .1N / 10g .1N / 10g

Step 9: Discussion of Results/Charts & Graphs/Pictures

Setting the fulcrum at 8 cm, which was closest to the load, took
the least amount of effort or grams to lift the load. The lever
produced a force of .1N/10g to lift the load of 50 g. When the
fulcrum was set at 15 cm, it took .5N/50g of force to lift the 50 g
load. The measurement furthest from the load produced the
most amount of effort with 1.5N/150g of force to lift a 50 g load.
Load
Fulcru
m Effor
t

Load Arm Effort

Arm

8 cm
08
15 cm
cm

21 cm
08 cm
Step 10: Conclusion

My hypothesis was that the fulcrum placed closest to the load on the
beam will take the least amount of newtons or grams, to lift the
load. The results indicate my hypothesis should be accepted. The fulcrum placed
closest to the load, 8 cm, took the least amount of effort to move a 50 g load.

This experiment proved that the easiest way to move a load with a lever is to place
the fulcrum close to the load. When the fulcrum was places at 8 cm, it only took a
force of .1N/10g. As the fulcrum moves further from the load, more force is
required to lift the load. At 15 cm it took .5N/50g to lift the load, and at 21 cm it
took even more effort by using the 1.l5N/150g of force.

Even though I was correct in my hypothesis, I was surprised how little force it took
to lift a load of 50 g. I learned that when the fulcrum is placed in the middle, the
work done on the system is equal to the work done by the system. That is why it
took .5N/50g of force to move a 50g load. Through further research I also learned
that each time you change the position of the fulcrum you change the load’s
gravitational potential energy by raising the load up. This means that the effort
arm distance is also changing. So, when moving the fulcrum closer and farther
away from the middle there is a difference in the distance you have to push down
on the effort arm end, which means the load arm requires different amounts of
effort. When the fulcrum is close to the load, the effort arm has a greater distance
to move and the load arm has less of a distance to move. Where the fulcrum is
farther away from the load, the effort arm has a smaller distance and the load arm
has to move the load a further distance. See chart below.

Fulcrum Load Arm Effort Arm

8 cm 1 cm 3.3 cm
15 cm 1.9 cm 1.9 cm
21 cm 2.6 cm 1.2 cm

I have learned that people use fulcrums everywhere is their daily lives to make
work easier. Just in preparing my science project I used scissors and a stapler
which are both levers. Both simple machines make work easier by using less
energy to do work.
Because of the results of this experiment, I wonder if changing the thickness of the
fulcrum would have made a difference in the results. This would be a very
interesting variable to change and see if there is a difference in the results.
Step 11: Abstract

People are always looking for an easier way to do work, and I am

no different! Through simple machines, people around the world
and for thousands of years have been using levers to do their
work with less effort. My interest in this topic started while
studying force and motion and thinking about the amount of
energy or force used to move objects.

While thinking about this problem I came up with my hypothesis: I

think the fulcrum placed closest to the load will take less newtons
of force or grams, to lift the load. I think this because I’ve found,
through research, that a fulcrum is part of a lever in a simple
machine that can make work easier. Levers use less energy or
require less force to lift a load when the fulcrum is placed closest
to the load on the beam.

Through this experiment I wanted to see if the fulcrum placement

made a difference in the amount of effort it took me to lift a load.
When I devised my plan, I tried to make sure all my variables
were controlled. I used the same ruler, cup, pen, spring scale,
and load amount. The only variable I manipulated was the
placement of the fulcrum.

My final results showed that the easiest way to lift a load with a
lever is to place the fulcrum close to the load. When the fulcrum
was placed at 8 cm, it only took a force of .1N/10g. As the fulcrum
moves further from the load the more effort is required to lift the
load. At 15 cm it took .5N/50g to lift the load, and at 21 cm it
took even more effort by using the 1.l5N/150g of force.

In conclusion, I have proven that my hypothesis was correct: the

fulcrum placed closest to the load, at 8 cm, took the least amount
of effort to lift a 50 g load. The most important thing I learned is
little force is needed when lifting a heavy load, when the fulcrum
is placed close to the load.