Which lever class is commonly described as being like a wheelbarrow?

• A. First class lever
• B. Second class lever
• C. Third class lever
• D. Wheelbarrow lever

Answer: (B)

The lever class described as like a wheelbarrow is the second class lever. In a wheelbarrow, the wheel serves as the fulcrum at one end, the load sits between that fulcrum and the point where you apply force at the handles, and your effort is applied away from the load. This arrangement—load between the fulcrum and the effort—defines the second class lever and gives a mechanical advantage: you can lift heavier loads with less force, though you have to move the handles a greater distance than the load moves. For contrast, a first class lever has the fulcrum between the effort and the load, and a third class lever has the effort between the fulcrum and the load.