A balanced lever has two weights on it, the first with mass #7 kg # and the second with mass #55 kg#. If the first weight is # 9 m# from the fulcrum, how far is the second weight from the fulcrum?

2 Answers
Apr 7, 2018

The distance is #=1.15m#

Explanation:

www.thoughtco.com

The mass #M_1=7kg#

The mass #M_2=55kg#

The distance #a=9m#

Taking moments about the fulcrum

#M_1xxa=M_2xxb#

The distance is

#b=(M_1xxa)/(M_2)=(7*9)/(55)=1.15m#

Apr 7, 2018

Approximately #1.15# meters from the fulcrum

Explanation:

On a balanced lever, we have the following relationship:

#m_1d_1=m_2d_2#

  • #m_1,m_2# are the masses of the two objects

  • #d_1,d_2# are the distances of the two objects from the fulcrum

And so, we got:

#7 \ "kg"*9 \ "m"=55 \ "kg"*d_2#

#d_2=(7color(red)cancelcolor(black)"kg"*9 \ "m")/(55color(red)cancelcolor(black)"kg")#

#~~1.15 \ "m"#