Lemon Mass Determination

Principle of Moments

How It Works

The principle of moments states that for a lever to be in equilibrium, the sum of clockwise moments must equal the sum of counterclockwise moments. In this simulation, you have a known weight on one side of the lever and a lemon on the other. By adjusting the distances from the fulcrum, you can calculate the mass of the lemon using the formula:

Lemon Mass = (Known Mass × Known Distance) / Lemon Distance

Determine the mass of an orange
using moments

Virtual Physics Laboratory

1️⃣

Adjust Distance

Move the lemon slider to change its distance from the fulcrum

2️⃣

Set Mass

Adjust the lemon mass slider to find the equilibrium point

3️⃣

Achieve Balance

When the lever is balanced, the calculated mass will match your input