Dynamics of Terrestrial Locomotion

These flashcards cover essential terms and concepts regarding the dynamics of locomotion in terrestrial animals, focusing on mechanics, stability, and energy exchange.

Froude number (Fr)

A dimensionless number that describes the dynamics of terrestrial locomotion, calculated as Fr = v^2 / (g l), where v is velocity, g is gravity, and l is length.

Kinetic energy

The energy that an animal possesses due to its motion; it increases with the square of the velocity.

Potential energy

The energy stored by an object due to its position; it is related to body mass and height.

Effective Mechanical Advantage (EMA)

A measure of the mechanical effectiveness of muscles in producing joint movement, dependent on the muscle force and moment arms.

Joint moment

The torque applied to a joint due to body mass or external forces acting on it.

Biomechanical scaling

The relationship between the body size of an animal and its biomechanical properties, such as joint moments and effective mechanical advantage.

Static stability

The ability of an animal to maintain its position while standing or moving without tipping over, often assessed by the location of the center of mass.

Dynamic similarity

When geometrically similar animals exhibit similar movement patterns at the same Froude number.

Ground reaction force (GRF)

The force exerted by the ground on an animal during locomotion, which must be balanced by muscle forces to maintain stability.

Torques

Rotational forces applied around a joint, usually resulting from muscle contractions and body weight.

Froude number (Fr)

A dimensionless number that describes the dynamics of terrestrial locomotion, calculated as Fr = v^2 / (g l), where v is velocity, g is gravity, and l is length.

Kinetic energy

The energy that an animal possesses due to its motion; it increases with the square of the velocity.

Potential energy

The energy stored by an object due to its position; it is related to body mass and height.

Effective Mechanical Advantage (EMA)

A measure of the mechanical effectiveness of muscles in producing joint movement, dependent on the muscle force and moment arms.

Joint moment

The torque applied to a joint due to body mass or external forces acting on it.

Biomechanical scaling

The relationship between the body size of an animal and its biomechanical properties, such as joint moments and effective mechanical advantage.

Static stability

The ability of an animal to maintain its position while standing or moving without tipping over, often assessed by the location of the center of mass.

Dynamic similarity

When geometrically similar animals exhibit similar movement patterns at the same Froude number.

Ground reaction force (GRF)

The force exerted by the ground on an animal during locomotion, which must be balanced by muscle forces to maintain stability.

Torques

Rotational forces applied around a joint, usually resulting from muscle contractions and body weight.

Power

The rate at which work is done or energy is transferred, often calculated as force multiplied by velocity.

Center of Mass (COM)

The unique point where the weighted relative position of the distributed mass sums to zero, used to describe the overall motion of an animal.

Moment Arm

The perpendicular distance from the axis of rotation to the line of action of a force, crucial for determining the torque produced by a muscle or external force.

Leverage

The mechanical advantage gained by using a lever (e.g., a bone) to apply a force, influencing the effectiveness of muscle action around a joint.