Newtonian Mechanics – Lever Mechanics in Deep Space

energy-conservationnewtonian-mechanicsreference frames

Can you tell me where my logic goes wrong below?

  1. Lever on Earth: if I drop down mass 2m at distance d from fulcrum a certain amount h (i.e. velocity v and KE mv2), then it will lift mass m at distance 2d from fulcrum a distance of 2h in the same time (i.e. velocity 2v and KE 2mv2). Let's keep h small wrt d to ignore curvature. The upward mass m has twice as much velocity and kinetic energy as the downward mass 2m. The extra kinetic energy of the upward mass is balanced out by its gravitational potential energy.

  2. Lever in deep space: Will the same thing happen in deep space? Will the mass m object keep going at velocity 2v if the lever releases it and doesn't hold on to it?

  3. Where is all the extra kinetic energy coming from? Who is providing the potential energy since we are in deep space far from any gravity?

  4. What if I put mass 2m or 3m instead of mass m at distance 2d (assuming the level is strong enough to handle the stress)? Will it also get launched at velocity 2v?

I am looking for a big picture answer of what happens at the end of the day. The details of what happens to the lever atoms and molecules is all well and good but it must explain the final result where all this extra kinetic energy comes from.

P.S. A similar scenario would be to turn the lever on its side and do the experiment with horizontal movement, effectively making gravity irrelevant.

Closing Comment: After comments exchange with @Allure and @ThePhoton I think I understand what's going on. In deep space, the initial mass 2m had to arrive with a velocity > v because, as soon as it hit the lever, it started slowing down and had to push itself as well as the lever arm. For the combined movement to be h the initial KE must have been > mv2. I didn't do the detailed calculations but I am satisfied that the incoming mass 2m supplied all the kinetic energy, some or all of which was imparted to the departing mass m through the lever.

Best Answer

Lever in deep space: Will the same thing happen in deep space? Will the mass m object keep going at velocity 2v if the lever releases it and doesn't hold on to it?

In deep space, the mass of $2m$ does not exert any force on the lever because it has no weight, so nothing happens.