What happens to the effort required to lift a load as the fulcrum moves closer to the load?

When the fulcrum is moved closer to the load in a lever system, the mechanical advantage increases. This is due to the lever principle, which states that the effort (force) required to lift a load decreases as the distance from the fulcrum to the load becomes smaller compared to the distance from the fulcrum to the point where the effort is applied.

To understand this better, consider the lever arm lengths: the effort arm (the distance from the fulcrum to where the force is applied) and the load arm (the distance from the fulcrum to the load). By moving the fulcrum closer to the load, the load arm becomes shorter while the effort arm remains relatively unchanged. According to the lever formula:

[ \text{Load} \times \text{Load Arm} = \text{Effort} \times \text{Effort Arm} ]

When the load arm decreases, it requires less effort (force) to lift the same load, therefore decreasing the effort needed. This principle is fundamental in mechanics, demonstrating how levers work and providing practical applications in various tools and machines where the arrangement of the fulcrum, load, and effort can greatly influence the amount of force needed to perform