Levers and mechanical advantage | Physical education | Quizalize & Oak National Academy

Starter quiz

Where in the body would you find a hinge joint?

shoulder

knee ✓

hip

elbow ✓
Which of the following bones articulates at the elbow joint?

scapula

humerus ✓

femur

tibia
Match the bones to the correct location in the body.

shoulder

⇔

scapula and humerus ✓

elbow

⇔

humerus, radius and ulna ✓

hip

⇔

pelvis and femur ✓

knee

⇔

femur and tibia ✓
Which movement causes the angle at a joint to decrease?

flexion ✓

extension

adduction

rotation
The shoulder is an example of a ball and socket joint. Where else in the body would you find a ball and socket joint?

'hip' ✓
Name the muscle in the back of the lower leg in this image.

quadriceps

hamstrings

gluteals

gastrocnemius ✓

abdominals

Exit quiz

Match the shape to the correct component of a lever.

bone

⇔

horizontal line ✓

fulcrum

⇔

triangle ✓

load (resistance)

⇔

square ✓

effort

⇔

arrow ✓
The load is positioned in the middle of which lever system?

first class lever

second class lever ✓

third class lever
Which of the following diagrams is correct for third class lever?
Match the area of the body to the correct lever system.

elbow

⇔

third class lever ✓

ankle

⇔

second class lever ✓

neck

⇔

first class lever ✓
Using football examples, match the sporting action to the correct lever system.

running towards the ball

⇔

second class lever ✓

heading a ball

⇔

first class lever ✓

goal keeper catching the ball into chest

⇔

third class lever ✓
In a second class lever, the effort arm is shorter than the resistance arm and therefore has mechanical...

'advantage' ✓

Worksheet

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Presentation

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Video

Lesson Details

Key learning points

There are three different types of lever in the human body.
Levers are categorised based on the location of the load, effort and fulcrum.
Sporting examples of a first class lever include the neck when heading the ball in football.
Sporting examples of a second class lever include pointing the toes at the ankle during a jump shot in basketball.
Sporting examples of a third class lever include flexion of the elbow in a bicep curl.

Common misconception

All joint movements require the same sort of leverage.

The orientation of the fulcrum (joint), the effort (muscle) and the load dictate which of the three classes of lever it is and also if there is a mechanical advantage.

Keywords

First class lever - fulcrum is placed in the middle bewteen the load and effort
Second class lever - load is placed in the middle bewteen the fulcrum and effort
Third class lever - effort is placed in the middle between the load and effort
Mechanical advantage - a second class lever allows a large load to be moved with a small amount of effort