Glossary
lever
A lever is a rigid bar that turns about a pivot called a fulcrum. A long effort arm and a short load arm let it lift far more than the force you apply.
A lever is a rigid bar that turns about a pivot called a fulcrum. Push one end down and the other end rises, which is how a crowbar, a seesaw, a wheelbarrow and a pair of pliers all work. Every lever has three parts: the effort you apply, the load you are moving, and the fulcrum they turn on.
Its advantage comes from distance. A long effort arm with a short load arm multiplies the force you can lift, because your effort travels further than the load does — the same work spread over a longer path. Move the fulcrum closer to the load and the lever lifts more; move it closer to your hand and you must push harder.
Levers are grouped by what sits in the middle. A first-class lever puts the fulcrum between effort and load, as a seesaw or a crowbar does. A second-class lever puts the load in the middle, like a wheelbarrow. A third-class lever puts the effort in the middle, like tweezers or a fishing rod, and it always costs force to gain speed.
Taught in
Related terms
- fulcrum — The fulcrum is the fixed point a lever turns about — the pivot. Where it sits sets how much force the lever needs: closer to the load means an easier lift.
Source: Official ASVAB — subtest descriptions (what each subtest asks) and the CAT-ASVAB scored-question counts (accessed 2026-09)