Levers Investigation

In science, we have been learning about different forces and what they act upon. We did an experiment to figure out of levers work.

Aim: To investigate the advantage of using a lever to lift a load.

Equipment:

• 30 cm ruler 
• a pencil 
• 2 plastic cups
• 20 marbles
• Blue tack 

Method:

1. Tape two cups to either end of the ruler centred on the 2 cm and 28 cm mark.
2. Place the pencil under the ruler at the 15 cm mark. The pencil will act as a pivot point. 
3. Add 10 marbles to the cup at the zero (0) end of the ruler. 
4. Add marbles one by one to the other cup (at the 30 cm end) until the cups are balanced. 
5. Record how many marbles needed. 
6. Move the pencil to the 13 cm mark and repeat steps 4 and 5.
7. Move the pencil to the 10 cm mark and repeat steps 4 and 5.

Hypothesis: I think that you will need the same amount of marbles for the first try, but for the second and third you will need more or less because the pencil isn't in the middle of the ruler. 

Results: 

Experiment 1: Side length: 1:1, marbles in cup 1: 10, marbles in cup 2.

Experiment 2: Side length: 1:2, marbles in cup 1: 7, marbles in cup 2.

Experiment 3: Side length: 1:3, marbles in cup 1: 4, marbles in cup 2.