Lever resistance (or load). It is common to call the input force "the effort" and the output force "the load" or "the resistance." This allows the identification of three classes of levers by the relative locations of the fulcrum, the resistance and the effort: These cases are described by the mnemonic "fre 123" where the fulcrum is in the middle for the 1st class lever, the "r"esistance is in the middle for the 2nd class lever, and the effort is in the middle for the 3rd class lever. The lever is a movable bar that pivots on a fulcrum attached to
Compound lever an equivalent weight and there is no mechanical advantage. This is not usually the goal of a compound lever system, though in rare situations the geometry may suit a specific purpose. The distances used in calculation of mechanical advantage are measured perpendicular to the force. In the example of a nail clipper on the right (a compound lever made of a class 2 and a class 3 lever), because the effort is applied vertically (that is, not perpendicular to the lever), distances to the respective fulcrums are measured horizontally, instead of along the lever. In this example, W/F is =