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New
New
Year 10
AQA

Levers in sporting actions

I can identify and apply each lever system to various sporting actions.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 10
AQA

Levers in sporting actions

I can identify and apply each lever system to various sporting actions.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Sporting examples of a first class lever include overhead tricep extension during a rugby line out.
  2. Sporting examples of a second class lever include plantar flexion at the ankle during a jump shot in basketball.
  3. Sporting examples of a third class lever include extension at the knee when kicking a football.
  4. A second lever system has a high mechanical advantage.

Keywords

  • 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 - efficiency of a working lever- calculated by effort divided by resistance arm

Common misconception

The effort in a lever starts in the belly of the muscle.

The effort from a muscle will start from the muscle insertion. The insertion is the tendon attached to the bone which that muscle moves.


To help you plan your year 10 physical education lesson on: Levers in sporting actions, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Keep the drawings simple and have the post it notes ready to place the shapes onto images of sporting actions. This way the middle components can be identified.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

Post it notes. Various images of sporting actions.

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which lever component would be in the middle of a first class lever system?
Correct answer: fulcrum
load
effort
lever
Q2.
Which shape represents the effort in a lever diagram?
line
triangle
square
Correct answer: arrow
Q3.
Match the lever system to the correct combination.
Correct Answer:first class lever,LFE
tick

LFE

Correct Answer:second class lever,ELF
tick

ELF

Correct Answer:third class lever,FEL
tick

FEL

Q4.
Which of the following diagrams is correct for second class lever?
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q5.
Which of the following movements demonstrates a second class lever?
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q6.
A first class lever would be used in the movement of overhead extension.
Correct Answer: triceps, tricep

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the sporting action to the correct lever system.
Correct Answer:first class lever,overhead tricep extension.
tick

overhead tricep extension.

Correct Answer:second class lever,plantar flexion of the ankle.
tick

plantar flexion of the ankle.

Correct Answer:third class lever,flexion of the elbow.
tick

flexion of the elbow.

Q2.
Using football examples, match the sporting action to the correct lever system.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer:running towards the ball,second class lever.
tick

second class lever.

Correct Answer:throw in,first class lever.
tick

first class lever.

Correct Answer:striking the football with the laces.,third class lever.
tick

third class lever.

Q3.
Which of the following is correct for the effort in a third class lever?
muscle origin
Correct answer: muscle insertion
joint capsule
ligaments
Q4.
Which of the following is correct description of the effort arm on a lever diagram?
the distance from the fulcrum to the load.
the distance from the load to the effort.
Correct answer: the distance from the fulcrum to the effort.
Q5.
Which is the correct calculation of mechanical advantage?
Correct answer: effort arm divided by resistance arm
effort arm plus resistance arm
effort arm multiplied by resistance arm
effort arm subtracted from the resistance arm
Q6.
In a third class lever, the effort arm is shorter than the resistance arm and therefore at a mechanical advantage.
Correct Answer: low, lower