What happens to mechanical advantage if you increase the length of a lever?

Increasing the length of a lever generally increases its mechanical advantage. Mechanical advantage is defined as the ratio of the output force exerted by the lever to the input force applied to it. When the length of the lever is increased, you can apply a smaller input force to move a larger load. This happens because the lever transmits the effort force over a greater distance, allowing you to perform work more efficiently.

For example, if you have a long lever and you apply a force on one end, the distance from the fulcrum (the point where the lever pivots) to the point where you apply the force is greater compared to that of a shorter lever. As a result, the longer lever can multiply the input force more effectively, thus increasing the mechanical advantage. In contrast, a shorter lever would require a greater input force to achieve the same output force, which reduces mechanical advantage. This principle is a fundamental aspect of levers and one of the reasons they are valuable tools for lifting heavy objects with less effort.