Year 10 - Physical education
Levers and mechanical advantage
Movement analysis and basic biomechanics
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit will explore basic principles of movement and their effect on sporting performance to include the classification of levers, planes of movement and axis of rotation. This understanding enables pupils to maximise efficiency of movement or generate more power.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to identify each class of lever and apply a sporting example of each.
Key Notes
- 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.
Vocabulary To Learn
- 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
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- All joint movements require the same sort of leverage.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key 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.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'first class lever'
fulcrum is placed in the middle bewteen the load and effort.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: All joint movements require the same sort of leverage. Correction: 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.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Lever classification Study Guide
- Levers in action Study Guide
- Levers in sporting actions Study Guide
- Levers, mechanical advantage and disadvantage Study Guide
- Planes and axes Study Guide
- Planes and axes in action Study Guide
- Planes and axes in physical activity and sport Study Guide
- Planes and axes in sport Study Guide
- Planes and axes of movement Study Guide
- Planes of movement and axes of rotation Study Guide
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