biomechanical movment- fluid mechanics

Fluid mechanics

The study of an object or the human body travelling through any liquid or gas

Forces such as:

• air resistance

• Drag

• Friction

Will slow objects as they travel through their fluid environment

Drag force

• always slows something down

• A resistance force caused by a body moving through a fluid

• Act in opposition to the direction of movement

• Negative effect on velocity

Surface drag

The friction between the boundary layer of fluid and the surface of the object

• a smoother surface creates less friction

• A smaller surface crates less friction

Form drag

The force affecting the leading edge of an object

• decrease in the frontal surface area decreases form drag

• Streamlining a body/ object decreases drag

Streamlining

Shaping a body so it ca move quickly through a fluid, allows the fluid to move in laminar flow

Laminar flow

Encouraged by a streamlined body

• fluid moves smoothly

• Undertake smooth paths/ layers

• Less resistant to movement

Turbulent flow

Encouraged by a less streamlined body

• irregular fluctuations

• Changes in magnitude/ direction

• Increases friction