A balanced lever has two weights on it, the first with mass $5 k g$ $5 kg$ and the second with mass $3 k g$ $3 kg$ . If the first weight is $6 m$ $6 m$ from the fulcrum, how far is the second weight from the fulcrum?

Question

A balanced lever has two weights on it, the first with mass $5 k g$ $5 kg$ and the second with mass $3 k g$ $3 kg$ . If the first weight is $6 m$ $6 m$ from the fulcrum, how far is the second weight from the fulcrum?

1 Answer

Impact of this question

1861 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2017-02-25T19:23:53

10 meters

Explanation:

Imagine a see-saw where two people sit on either end.
enter image source here
Assuming the two smileys weigh the same amount and are the same distance from the center of the see-saw (the fulcrum), the see-saw is balanced.

Now imagine, the pink smiley and her best friend sit together on her end of the see-saw. What happens? The pinks' side will go down, while the boy's side goes up!
enter image source here

Next, let's say the pink's scoot up the see-saw so that they are sitting half-way between the end of their side and the fulcrum. What happens now?
enter image source here
They're balanced again! So, we've changed two variables: weight and distance. The ability to rotate around a fulcrum, torque, is dependent on force and distance.

If a system is not rotating, clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation are balanced:

$F_{1} \cdot d_{1} = F_{2} \cdot d_{2}$ $F_1*d_1=F_2*d_2$

In our case:
$F_{1} \cdot d_{1} = F_{2} \cdot d_{2}$ $F_1*d_1=F_2*d_2$
$d_{2} = \frac{F_{1} \cdot d_{1}}{F_{2}}$ $d_2=(F_1*d_1)/F_2$
$d_{2} = \frac{5 k g \cdot 6 m}{3 k g}$ $d_2=(5kg*6m)/(3kg)$
$d_{2} = 10 m$ $d_2=10m$

Science

Math

Humanities

... and beyond

A balanced lever has two weights on it, the first with mass $5 k g$ $5 kg$ and the second with mass $3 k g$ $3 kg$ . If the first weight is $6 m$ $6 m$ from the fulcrum, how far is the second weight from the fulcrum?

1 Answer

Explanation:

Related questions

Impact of this question

Science

Math

Humanities

... and beyond

A balanced lever has two weights on it, the first with mass 5 kg 5kg5 kg and the second with mass 3 kg3kg3 kg. If the first weight is 6 m6m 6 m from the fulcrum, how far is the second weight from the fulcrum?

1 Answer

Explanation:

Related questions

Impact of this question

A balanced lever has two weights on it, the first with mass $5 k g$ $5 kg$ and the second with mass $3 k g$ $3 kg$ . If the first weight is $6 m$ $6 m$ from the fulcrum, how far is the second weight from the fulcrum?