A model lifting bridge is balanced horizontally about a pivot. The road section is on one side of the pivot and an adjustable counterweight is on the other side. The weight of the road section increases but acts at the same perpendicular distance from the pivot. The weight of the counterweight is unchanged. To balance the bridge again, what happens to the perpendicular distance of the counterweight from the pivot?
It increases, because the counterweight must produce a greater opposing moment
It stays unchanged, because only the positions of the forces determine whether the bridge balances
It decreases, because the heavier road section is balanced by a shorter counterweight distance
It cannot be determined, because the force exerted by the pivot has not been given
124 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Physics 5.4 Moments, levers and gears, covering 5.4 Moments, levers and gears. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.