How do people use levers?

A lever is a basic machine people use to move a load around a pivot by applying force. Many common tools, such as scissors, pliers and tongs are types of levers.

Every lever has a pivot point, called the fulcrum, a load and an effort, or place where force is applied. In type 1 levers, the pivot point is between the effort and the load. A see-saw is a simple type 1 lever. A type 2 lever has the load between the effort and the pivot point. A wheelbarrow is an example of a type 2 lever. In a type 3 lever, the effort is between the pivot point and the load. A fishing rod is a simple type 3 lever.