Prepare for the ASVAB Skilled Technical Test. Practice with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question offers hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

The wheelbarrow is a classic example of which class of lever?

In a lever, how the fulcrum, load, and effort sit relative to each other determines the class. The wheel acts as the fulcrum, the load sits in the bucket between that fulcrum and where you apply force on the handles, and your effort is applied at the handles. This arrangement—fulcrum at the wheel, load between the fulcrum and the effort—defines a second-class lever. It provides a mechanical advantage because the effort arm (distance from fulcrum to your hands) is longer than the load arm (distance from fulcrum to the load). If the fulcrum were between the load and the effort, it would be a first-class lever; if the effort were between the fulcrum and the load, it would be a third-class lever.

In a lever, how the fulcrum, load, and effort sit relative to each other determines the class. The wheel acts as the fulcrum, the load sits in the bucket between that fulcrum and where you apply force on the handles, and your effort is applied at the handles. This arrangement—fulcrum at the wheel, load between the fulcrum and the effort—defines a second-class lever. It provides a mechanical advantage because the effort arm (distance from fulcrum to your hands) is longer than the load arm (distance from fulcrum to the load). If the fulcrum were between the load and the effort, it would be a first-class lever; if the effort were between the fulcrum and the load, it would be a third-class lever.