A balanced lever has two weights on it, the first with mass #9 kg # and the second with mass #4 kg#. If the first weight is # 12 m# from the fulcrum, how far is the second weight from the fulcrum?

1 Answer
Jul 1, 2018

The distance is #=27m#

Explanation:

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The acceleration due to gravity is #g=9.8ms^-2#

The mass #M_1=9kg#

The mass #M_2=4kg#

The distance #a=12m#

Taking moments about the fulcrum

#M_1gxxa=M_2gxxb#

So,

#9gxx12=4gxxb#

#b=(108g)/(4g)=27m#