FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN SPORTS AND EXERCISE SCIENCE

BASE2124 BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF HUMAN MOVEMENT

PRACTICAL REPORT 4

FORCE AND ENERGY

NAME: LIM WAI SAM

ID: 19WLR06669

COURSE/GROUP: RSE2 GROUP 2

LECTURER: MR. LING SEN KIAN

INTRODUCTION
Work can be defined as an accomplished work when a force is exerted to an object and in
the result the object moves from one place to another (Gracia & Damask, 2012). It is the result of
force that is acting over a certain distance. This distance is being called displacement of an
object. In summary work is the product of where force and displacement meets together, the unit
being used in work is usually expressed in Newton-meter (N.m.) or also known as Joule (J)
(Gracia & Damask, 2012). Rate of work being done is the definition of power (Gracia &
Damask, 2012). It usually measures of how rapidly work can be done, where quantity of work
that is done over time. The unit used for power is expressed in Watts (W) or Joule per second
(J/s).

The capacity of work done can be defined as energy. Now energy cannot be created nor
can it be destroyed however it can only be transformed from one form to another (Gracia &
Damask, 2012). The unit expressed in energy usually is in Joules (J) and it can be found in many
things and in different forms. Generally there is two types of energy one of which is either
kinetic energy (KE) which means energy in motion or the possessed energy by one object due to
its in motion that dependent on the mass and its speed of the moving object (Gracia & Damask,
2012). Potential energy (KE) in simple terms means stored energy in an object and measured
with the amount of work being done, it is concerned the position of an object in vertical within
the potential energy of the earth’s gravity (Gracia & Damask, 2012).

Now lever system consist of three parts in them of which is effort, load and a fulcrum. In
the human body, the muscles are attached together through a series of tendons and bones.
Through the skeletal system it provides to form levers which the muscles used to pull on to
produce a necessary movement (Swanson, 2011). Mechanical advantage can be explain as when
lever are used in order that a small force produce that it can move a larger force. The body of a
human bone can acts as a lever arms, where the joints are the pivots and the effort or forces to go
against the load and move it provided from the muscle (Swanson, 2011). Often the body parts
that are in motion or a necessary force needed to push, pull or lift things outside our bodies are
load forces.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is the introduction to the concept of force generation, work done and
power. This report also involves some basic measurements and calculations

EQUIPMENT
 Tape measurement
 Stopwatch
 Calculator
 Scale
 Known weight of approximately 20% of body weight

RESULTS
1. Body weight (kg) : 65kg
2. Arm length from hand knuckle to tip of humerus (cm) : 66.5cm
3. Arm length from elbow to tip of humerus (cm) : 33.3cm
4. Distance from tip of humerus to ankle (cm) : 135cm
5. Distance from tip of humerus to knee (cm) : 93cm

The following are constants:

 Gravity acts at the rate of 9.81m/sec2
 1kg is approximately 10N
 Measure speed in meters/sec2
 Force generated is usually reported as NM or Ncm
Section 1. Lever Arm Effects
How does the length of the lever influence work done?
Assume you are holding a 10kg weight in your hand!
a. What force is exerted to balance the weight when it is held in your hand with your arm
outstretched (straight out)?
 Arm length (level length) : 66.5cm (0.67m)
 Weight (N) : 10 x 9.8 = 98N
 Answer:
W = FS
W = 98 x 0.67
W = 65.7 Nm

b. What force is exerted to balance the weight when it is held in your hand with your arm by
your side?
 Arm length (level length) (cm) : 66.5cm – 33.3cm = 33.2cm (0.33m)
 Weight (N) : 98N
 Answer:
W = FS
W = 98 x 0.33m
W = 32.3Nm
 Can you explain why there is a difference in these two numbers even though the
weight held is the same?
Using the idea of lever, where when force is further from the fulcrum it
requires more effort and force to be exerted to withstand and balance the
load or weight. The weight that is handled with an outstretched arm shows
that the fulcrum is at the tip of the humerus, while the weight held on the
arm with the arm by the sides’ shows that the fulcrum is at the elbow.
Then when compared both we see that the force required to the fulcrum
for the latter distance is short compared to the former, and because of that
the longer distance from the fulcrum required more force and work
exerted to be generated though it has the 10kg weight carried.
Section 2. Push-up Forces
1. Assume a full push-up position with your hands on the scale. Hold steady in an arm
extended position for a few seconds and record your weight (this is your partial weight).
You can do this by simply placing both hands on the scale.
 Partial weight in full push-up position (kg) : 43.5kg
 Answer:
F = M x Length of lever arm
F = (43.5 x 9.8) x 1.35
F = 575.5 Nm

2. Assume a push-up position but this time rest on your knees. Repeat the steps as above.
 Partial weight in modified push-up position (kg) : 32kg
 Answer:
F = M x Length of lever arm
F = (32 x 9.8) x 0.93
F = 291.6 Nm

 Is there a difference in the amount of force generated when doing a push-up in the
modified position? If so! Why?
Yes there is a difference in the amount of force generated when doing a push up
in the modified position and the full push up. The force that is required in
performing a full push up is 575.5 Nm while the modified push up only requires
291.6 Nm. This is due to the fact that the weight is reduce significantly when in a
modified push up position where the knees are contacted on the ground compared
therefore the weight required to perform a push up is easier while doing a full
push up where you have to withstand the weight of the full body.
Section 3. Lifting Forces
Using a constant 45lb bar, do the following calculations.
a. How much work (force) must you generate to perform 1 bench press rep?
 45lb bar = 20.4kg
= 20.4 x 9.8
= 199.9N

 0.67 – 0.33 = 0.34m

 Answer:
W = FS
W = 199.9 x 0.34m
W = 68J

b. Does the amount of work that your partner has to do vary from your numbers?
The amount of work from my partners varies from one another due to the fact of
the many different variables such as the arm length differences, height and the
weight therefore due to these difference the amount of work needed is different
though it is the same exercise.

c. How much work must you generate to perform 1 rep on the dead-lift exercise?
 45lb bar = 20.4kg
= 20.4 x 9.8
= 199.9N

 1.35m – 0.93m = 0.42m

 Answer:
W = FS
W = 199.9 x 0.42
W = 84J
d. Does the amount of work that your partner has to do vary from your numbers?
Again the amount of work that my partner required to do varies from each other
due to the fact that we’re different in weight, height and in the measurement of
our arm length. Therefore due to these factors the amount of work needed to
perform the same deadlift exercise differs from one another.

e. Can you explain whether it is advantageous or disadvantageous to be taller from these

type of power exercises?
Taller guys are in disadvantage from the shorter ones due to the fact of their
height meaning that for example when a taller guy performing a power exercise of
a deadlift, taller guys required more energy to lift and sustain the weight due the
distance from the ground is further and also the fact gravity is working against
their effort, this will require them to need more power generated compared to
their shorter counterpart.

f. Is it fair to compare athletes' strength based on the number of reps they can do in these
exercises?
It is not entirely fair to compare the athletes’ strength based on the number of reps
they can do. To be exact an athletes’ strength should be tested with 1RM to
determine their strength in these kind of exercises however based on a number of
reps they can do can reflect the percentage of their 1RM. For example if an athlete
strength can perform the deadlift for 140kg as their 1RM, then when performing a
5x5 they need 75-85% of their 1RM weight to effectively perform the work.
Section 4: Powerlifting
Look at the following example of power values from two lifters, powerlifter Doyle Kenady and
Olympic lifter Alex Pisarenko. Then answer the questions!

Name Exercise Body Mass Mass Lifted Pull Height Lift time
Kenady Deadlift 140kg 405kg 0.4m 2.0 seconds
Pisarenko Clean 120kg 265kg 0.9m 0.9 seconds

1. Who performed more work?

 Kenady
W = FS
W = (405 x 9.8) (0.4)
W = 1587.6J

 Pisarenko
W = FS
W = (265 x 9.8) (0.9)
W = 2337.3J

Through the formula and calculation with the information given we can see that Alex
Pisarenko had perform more work done than Doyle Kenady.

2. Who is more powerful and by how much? Present this answer in watts/kg
 Kenady
P = W/T
P = (1587.6) / (2)
P = 793.8 Watts

Relative Power = P/BW

= (793.8) / (140)
= 5.67 w/kg

 Pisarenko
 P = W/T
P = (2337.3) / (0.9)
P = 2597 Watts

Relative Power = P/BW

= (2597) / (120)
= 21.64 w/kg

References
1. Garcia, N., & Damask, A. (2012). Work, energy, and power. In: physics for computer
science students. Springer Study Edition.
2. Swanson, A., (2011, June 30). Basic biomechanics: levers. Retrieved from August 16,
2019, http://www.aaronswansonpt.com/basic-biomechanics-levers/