What This Calculates
A lever balanced on a fulcrum lets a smaller effort force move a larger load, depending on the distances from the pivot point. This calculator finds the effort force needed to balance a given load.
The Formula
Load × Load Distance = Effort × Effort Distance (the principle of moments), so Effort = (Load × Load Distance) / Effort Distance. The mechanical advantage equals Load / Effort, which is also the ratio of the two distances.
For general educational purposes; assumes an ideal, massless, rigid lever.
Last reviewed August 2026