Lesson 1
The Lever
Once the stones are cut, it is Harry's job to lift them onto a cart to be taken to the building site. These are massive stones and he will have difficulty lifting them.
What tools does Harry have available?
There are large timbers and rocks lying around the construction site. These are perfect parts for a lever!
We need this lever to increase our lifting force, therefore we will push one end of the lever under the resistance (Our stone), the fulcrum between the ends, and we will apply a downward force at the other end.
(It is usually easier for us to apply a downward force than it is to apply a lifting force.)
Talk Now - 1c
With your lab partner, predict how a lever will make lifting the block onto the cart easier.
Record your answer in your lab packet.
Data Collection::
Table 2: the Lever
Harry will test your various adjustments to the lever. Click and drag the grey stone (our fulcrum) to make your adjustments.
- You will change the placement of the fulcrum and test the effectiveness of each configuration.
- Being a true scientist you will want to collect a sufficient amount of data. Perhaps 8 tests.
The stone has a weight of 3500 N (that's close to 800 pounds) and you need to lift it 1 (one) meter.
Talk Now - 1d
- With your partner, predict fulcrum placements which will not be successful.
- Why won't these placements be successful? Record your prediction in complete sentences in your lab packet.
- Now test your prediction (hypothesis).
- Select a placement for the fulcrum by clicking and dragging it toward or away from the stone.
- Click on [lift]. If Harry can lift the stone, the amount of force applied and the distance he had to exert this force will appear on the chart.
- Move the fulcrum and try again.
- Record your data on your lab sheet.
Let's go to the next page and there you can do some reading to help with Data Analysis 2 & 3 along with the analysis questions in the lab packet.
