Question

A balanced lever has two weights on it, one with mass `12 kg` and one with mass `15 kg`. If the first weight is `4 m` from the fulcrum, how far is the second weight from the fulcrum?

Answer 1

The distance is `=3.2m`

Explanation:

The mass `M_1=12kg`

The mass `M_2=15kg`

The distance `a=4m`

Taking moments about the fulcrum

`M_1xxa=M_2xxb`

`b=(M_1xxa)/(M_2)=(12*4)/(15)=3.2m`