Which term describes a rigid body that pivots around a fulcrum, enabling work to be done more easily?

• A. Lever
• B. Fulcrum
• C. Load
• D. Joint

Answer: (A)

A lever is a rigid bar that rotates around a fixed point called the fulcrum. By applying a force at one point on the bar (the effort) and having a load at another point, the lever lets you move the load more easily by trading force for distance—this is mechanical advantage. The fulcrum is simply the pivot, the load is what you’re trying to move, and a joint is just a connection that allows movement in the body, not the lever mechanism itself. When the effort arm is longer than the load arm, less force is needed to lift the load, though you must move the effort farther.