In which simple machine is the effort force applied at one end and the load is lifted at the other end?

The correct answer is a lever. In a lever system, one end serves as the point where the effort force is applied, while the opposite end is where the load is lifted. This is made possible by the fulcrum, which is the pivot point that allows the lever to create mechanical advantage. The distance from the effort to the fulcrum and the distance from the load to the fulcrum play critical roles in determining how much force is needed to lift the load.

For example, when a person pushes down on one end of a seesaw (a type of lever), the opposite end moves up, lifting the load or person sitting there. This characteristic of levers is what allows them to amplify the force exerted on a load.

In contrast, a pulley changes the direction of the effort force but doesn't inherently involve lifting a load at the other end directly by an effort applied at one end. An inclined plane allows a load to be lifted with less effort, but the effort is usually applied along the surface, not at one end to lift another end. A wedge is used to separate materials rather than to lift loads by applying force at one end.