What type of simple machine does a nutcracker exemplify?

A nutcracker exemplifies a lever because it operates on the principles of leverage to amplify force. In a lever, a fulcrum is used to change the direction and magnitude of an applied force. When you place a nut in the jaws of the nutcracker and press down on the handles, you exert a force on one end of the lever (the handles), and this force is transferred to break the shell of the nut at the other end (the jaws).

The design of the nutcracker allows a small amount of force applied at the handles to result in a much greater force at the jaws, where the nut is held. This effective mechanical advantage is characteristic of levers, and it is this functionality that makes the nutcracker an efficient tool for cracking nuts.