Read the following activity and answer the following questions:
A student performs the following activity to investigate how a lever works.
1. A \(30\ cm\) scale is placed on a pencil, with the pencil positioned closer to one end of the scale.
2. A stapler is placed on the shorter end of the scale.
3. One eraser is placed on the longer end. The stapler does not lift.
4. When another eraser is added to the longer end, the stapler rises.
Use your understanding of levers, effort, load, and mechanical advantage to answer the questions.
1. A \(30\ cm\) scale is placed on a pencil, with the pencil positioned closer to one end of the scale.
2. A stapler is placed on the shorter end of the scale.
3. One eraser is placed on the longer end. The stapler does not lift.
4. When another eraser is added to the longer end, the stapler rises.
Use your understanding of levers, effort, load, and mechanical advantage to answer the questions.
1. Initially, one eraser could not lift the stapler. What is the best explanation for why adding another eraser caused the stapler to rise?
2. A student concludes, "The stapler rises only because two erasers weigh more than one eraser." Which statement best evaluates this conclusion?
3. Which observation from the activity best shows that the scale is acting as a lever?
4. If the erasers are placed very close to the pencil instead of at the far end of the scale, what is the most likely result?