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The human bodys system of bones and skeletal muscles is not only a means of
movement. It must be able to support weight even when it is not moving. If we think
of the human body as a mechanical structure, we can define the ways that the body
supports its own weight. Weight can be supported by sitting or resting on something,
by hanging from something or by being braced in place (Garfield 27).
Newton's Laws of Motion
In physics, the most basic rules when it comes to movement are Newtons laws of
motion. Newtons first law is also called the law of inertia. It states that an object at
rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same
speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force (Physics
Classroom). In other words, an object will keep doing what it is doing until acted on
by another force to do otherwise.
Inertia is the tendency for an object to resist changes in its pattern of motion. In
rotational motion, an object rotates around a fixed axis and remains stationary in
space. Therefore there is no kinetic energy associated with translational motion. This
doesnt seem to make sense, but if we adopt the idea that each object is made up of an
infinite number of particles, we can see that each of these particles are in fact moving
through space. Since we know that the angular speed is the same for each of these
particles, we can define inertia as: I = mi ri. Therefore, we can say that the total
kinetic energy of a rotating object (such as the forearm from the axis of the elbow) can
be expressed using this equation: KE = I . This is important, because it enables
us to see that kinetic energy of an object is directly proportional to its inertia (Serway
300).
Sir Isaac Newton promoted the idea of this law in a time where other theories were
much more popular. In fact, the theory that was most commonly taught was the idea
that objects would tend to come to rest rather than stay in motion. Galileo was the
first scientist to describe inertia as a tendency of movement. Newton expanded on
Galileos theory, stating that if an object is placed in motion, such as a book sliding
across a table; it is not the lack of force that stops the book from moving, but rather
the force due to friction that stops the book (Physics Classroom).
Newtons second law states that the rate of change of momentum in an object is
proportional to the force acting on it and is in the direction of the force. The third law
states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When we look at
both of these laws together, we can get a better idea of why the body moves in the
way that it does.
A second class lever is one in which the fulcrum lies at one end
with the effort at the other end. The load then lies in the middle of
the effort and the fulcrum. An example in every day life of a
second class lever is a wheelbarrow. In the human body, an
example could be the ankle joint. The fulcrum would then be
defined as the foot, with the effort being the contraction of the calf
muscle. The load then would be the weight of the person. This
can be seen in the second picture to the right.
The final class of levers is called the third class lever. In this kind
of lever, the fulcrum is located at one end and the load is at the
other end of the lever arm. The effort then is located between the
fulcrum and the load. An example of a third class lever in the
human body is that of the biceps muscle in the arm. The third class lever action is the
primary reason why our arm is able to flex so quickly and with so much force.
First and second class levers are often used to help overcome a large resistance with
an effort that is fairly small by comparison. A third class lever will help speed up the
movement of resistance even though a large amount of effort will still need to be
used. However, third class levers are generally used to do something quickly and not
to do extremely heavy jobs (Machines).
As we have seen, there are many examples of levers
present in the human body. Also, joints act in a centripetal
motion. Perhaps to understand all of the forces present in
a joint, we should look at what forces are present in a
hinge. A hinge is very similar to a joint in the way that it
is constructed. In fact, a joint is a type of hinge.
A jointed structure allows two nodes to be attached to each other in a flexible way so
that the forces in the plane of the joint will be transmitted through the joint, but forces
perpendicular to the plane of the joint will cause the joint to bend. Joints can be
thought of as a set of constraints on the dynamics of the individual masses which are
joined together. The constraints can be summarized by equations (Baker).
The uses for these devices can not only be found in the human body, but can also be
applied elsewhere. SRI International, a nonprofit research laboratory from Menlo
Park, CA has been at work developing various products using EAPs. A few of the
concepts include loudspeakers, pumps, power generators as well as smart surfaces that
might be able to conform to the texture of a surface on demand (Ashley 58).
Conclusion
In closing, it is obvious that the physics of the human body has many components not
even touched by this research paper. Getting to know the physics of body mechanics
through discovering basic muscle physiology, Newtons laws of motion, torque, forces
within joints and new strides in technology are all important when learning more
about the subject.
So the next time you are in the weight room doing curls, think about the angular
momentum necessary to lift that weight. When youre bored in class and you begin to
kick your feet back and forth, remember how Newtons third law applies to the
forward swing of your foot by bringing it back again. The physics of body mechanics
are present all of the time in our everyday lives and isnt something we normally think
about. Keep it in mind. It will help you to better understand your body and why it
behaves in the way that it does.
Works Cited
Ashley, Steven. "Artificial Muscles." Scientific American Oct. 2003: 53-59.
Baker, Martin J. "Physics - Jointed Structures." Euclideanspace. 2007. 1 Oct. 2007
<http://www.euclideanspace.com/physics/kinematics/joints/jointstructures/index.htm>
.
Campbell, Neil A., and Jane B. Reece. Biology. 7th ed. San Francisco: Pearson,
2005. 1066-1068.
Garfield, Sally, comp. Sabbatical Paper: the Impulse and Physics of Movement.
Drake University. 1 Oct.
2007.