Question

A balanced lever has two weights on it, the first with mass `5 kg` and the second with mass `8 kg`. If the first weight is `12 m` from the fulcrum, how far is the second weight from the fulcrum?

Answer 1

`7.5` `m`

Explanation:

1st load `M_1` = `5` `kg`
distance from fulcrum `a` = `12` `m`
2nd load `M_2` = `8` `kg`
distance from fulcrum `b` = `?`

We have,
`M_1` x `a` = `M_2` x `b`
now solve for `b`

solving `b =7.5` `m`