Question

A balanced lever has two weights on it, the first with mass `72 kg` and the second with mass `18 kg`. If the first weight is `6 m` from the fulcrum, how far is the second weight from the fulcrum?

Answer 1

The distance is `=24m`

Explanation:

The mass `M_1=72kg`

The mass `M_2=18kg`

The distance `a=6m`

Taking moments about the fulcrum

`M_1xxa=M_2xxb`

`b=(M_1xxa)/(M_2)=(72xx6)/(18)=24m`