Biomechanics terminology

Kinematics

Describes motion

Kinetics

Concerned with forces behind movement

Centre of mass

Point at which the mass of the body is evenly distributed in all directions

Energy

Ability of a body to perform work

Potential energy

Ability of a body to perform work due to gravity

Kinetic energy

A capacity for work due to motion

Work

Transfer of energy by a force acting on an object as it moves over a distance

Power

Rate at which work is done

Scaling

Increase or decrease in size of an object

Modelling

Creating a representative object

Speed

Rate at which something moves from one position to another

Duty factor

Stance phase as a proportion of stride time

Velocity

Speed of something in a given direction

Force

Any action that alters the state of an object

Mass

Quantity of matter making up a body

Weight

Amount of force due to gravitational acceleration exerted on a body

Acceleration

Change in velocity with respect to time

Pressure

Force applied per unit of area to an object