A wheelbarrow is a second‑class lever.

Why it’s class 2

In a second‑class lever, the load lies between the fulcrum and the effort. In a wheelbarrow:

  • The wheel acts as the fulcrum (pivot point).
  • The load (the material in the tray) sits in the middle.
  • The effort is applied by the person pushing or lifting the handles at the far end.

This arrangement gives the wheelbarrow a mechanical advantage , meaning you can lift heavy loads with less force than you’d need to lift them directly.

Quick lever‑class comparison

Lever class| Order (from end to end)| Example
---|---|---
Class 1| Fulcrum – Load – Effort| Seesaw, scissors
Class 2| Effort – Load – Fulcrum| Wheelbarrow , nutcracker
Class 3| Effort – Fulcrum – Load| Tweezers, stapler

So, to answer your title directly: “What class lever is a wheelbarrow?” → It’s a class 2 lever.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.