Question

Place 2N worth of force 0.4m from the fulcrum. Place 6N of force 0.2m from the same side of the fulcrum. Where would you place 4N to balance the lever?

a) 0.6m from the fulcrum
b) 0.1m from the fulcrum
c) 0.3m from the fulcrum
d) 0.5m from the fulcrum

Answer 1

To balance the lever, you need to ensure that the clockwise torque and the counterclockwise torque are equal. In this case, placing a 4N force 0.1m from the fulcrum will balance the lever.

Step-by-step explanation:

To balance the lever, you need to ensure that the clockwise torque and the counterclockwise torque are equal. Torque is calculated by multiplying the force by the distance from the fulcrum.

Given that a 2N force is 0.4m from the fulcrum and a 6N force is 0.2m from the fulcrum, the torque for the 2N force is 2N x 0.4m = 0.8Nm and the torque for the 6N force is 6N x 0.2m = 1.2Nm. To balance the lever, you need to place a 4N force at a certain distance from the fulcrum.

To find the distance, you can set up an equation: 0.8Nm + 4N x d = 1.2Nm, where d represents the distance from the fulcrum where the 4N force should be placed. Solving for d, you get d = 0.1m. Therefore, the answer is b) 0.1m from the fulcrum.