Question

A balanced lever has two weights on it, the first with mass `5 kg` and the second with mass `7 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 `=4.29m`

Explanation:

The mass `M_1=5kg`

The mass `M_2=7kg`

The distance `a=6m`

Taking moments about the fulcrum

`M_1xxa=M_2xxb`

`b=(M_1xxa)/(M_2)=(5xx6)/(7)=4.29m`