The Mechanics of a 100m Sprint
Joanna Ringhofer
MEEN 381 - 509
September 12, 2018
"On my honor, as an Aggie, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid
on this academic work."
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While it seems like a relatively simple task, running a sprint in track and field
involves complex technical concepts that can be simplified when considered in the
realm of mechanical engineering. From the moment a sprinter hears the words “runners
take your marks” to the instant their spikes hit the finish line, the analysis of momentum,
forces, and bearing stress during a race becomes important in minimizing the total time
taken to run 100 meters.
The race begins with the runner holding a crouched position in starting blocks.
Based on the incline of each block, the starting blocks help sprinters obtain a greater
horizontal acceleration by providing them with a surface to push back on rather than up.
However, it is important to find a balance between these horizontal and vertical
components in order for the runner to obtain the greatest acceleration possible while
they avoid falling over. The optimal position to satisfy this balance requires that the
frontmost knee of the runner should be bent at about 90 to 100°, while the back knee
should be bent at about 120-135°. As the runner leaves the starting blocks, wide,
exaggerated arm movements in the direction of the track lanes direct the runner’s
forward momentum horizontally. Since the runner is starting from rest, the energy
created by their arms is enough to create an impulse as given by the equation impulse
is equal to change in momentum which is essentially a mass multiplied by a change in
velocity.
Immediately following this initial thrust is the “drive” phase of the 100m dash,
which takes place within the first 30 meters of the sprint. This is the interval in which the
sprinter accelerates. By keeping their head down, the runner’s center of mass relocates
slightly ahead of their body, and the runner is able to push back on the track rather than
up, maximizing the horizontal component of their acceleration. Track spikes help the
sprinter during the acceleration phase as well, specifically the lightweight aspect of the
shoe. Newton’s second law states that “for a constant mass, force equals mass times
acceleration” [1]. Since acceleration is caused by a force, it is convenient to restate this
equation as “acceleration is equal to force divided by mass.” Therefore, in order to
increase the acceleration of the runner, force must increase or mass must decrease. It
is much easier to alter the latter of the two variables, which is why the lightweight nature
of track spikes is significant.
Track spikes are also influential when considering friction on a rubber track.
There are two types of friction to consider when analyzing the motion of a runner’s foot:
static friction and kinetic friction. According to Newton’s third law of motion, stated
simply, “for every action (force) in nature there is an equal and opposite reaction” [1]. In
this case, the force exerted by the runner’s foot on the track is reciprocated by an
equivalent force exerted by the track on the runner’s foot in the opposite direction. By
definition, friction resists the motion of an object and is proportional to the corresponding
normal force on the same object by a factor of μ, the coefficient of friction. In the case of
statics, this is true only at the instance in which friction is at a maximum since static
friction can never be greater than the force it opposes. Otherwise, the net force of an
object would be in the direction of the static friction, and stationary objects would
spontaneously begin to accelerate backwards. Therefore, static friction will equal the
magnitude of the force exerted by the runner’s foot until it reaches a maximum value,
the product of the coefficient of static friction and the vertical normal force exerted by
the track on the runner. Although static friction is typically associated with stationary
objects, and a sprinter is definitely in motion during a race, the runner’s foot is stationary
relative to the track at the instant in which the two surfaces contact each other.
Therefore, static friction is responsible for propelling the sprinter forward. Below is a
table comparing the coefficients of rolling friction, a type of static friction, for various
surface materials [2]. Compared to other
tread materials, the coefficient of friction
between rubber and steel is significantly
higher than the coefficients for other
materials.
Meanwhile, kinetic friction is responsible
for causing slippage during a race. The transition between static friction and kinetic
friction occurs immediately following the the instance in which the maximum value of
static friction is attained, if at all. Unlike static friction, kinetic friction is always equal to
the product of the coefficient of kinetic friction and the normal force the track exerts on
the runner. Conceptually, it is relevant when the runner’s foot slides against the track,
but the running spikes against the rubber material of the track ensure that kinetic friction
is maximized and minimal slipping occurs. The nature of the track material allows for the
metal track spikes to settle in small ridges along the surface of the rubber. While on a
much smaller scale than previous analyses, the interactions between the spikes and
these ridges involve the concept of bearing stress, or “contact pressure between
separate bodies” [3]. Mathematically, this relationship can be summarized by the
equation bearing stress is equal to force divided by cross-sectional area. Therefore, with
the small, almost point-like cross-sectional areas of the spikes on a sprinter’s shoe, the
runner of a 100m dash is able to attain a much greater bearing stress against the track
than with a regular running shoe, assuming the same force is applied. With the applied
forces of the runner concentrated in these miniscule interactions between the track
spikes and the rubber ridges, the sprinter is able to obtain a greater horizontal
acceleration.
Eventually, due to normal limitations of the human body, competitors will reach
an instant in which they can no longer accelerate, attaining a maximum velocity that will
carry them through the finish line. Immediately before crossing, leaning forward helps
runners shift their center of gravity slightly ahead of them in order to further their
position in the race. This is typically only done within the last five meters, because the
act of leaning utilizes energy that could not be sacrificed earlier in the race.
Overall, a 100 meter sprint involves technical concepts throughout each stage of
the race: at the starting blocks, the drive phase, maintaining a maximum velocity, and
crossing the finish line. Analyzing each of these in terms of mechanics results in a
deeper understanding of the role that angles, momentum, energy, friction forces, and
center of mass play in everyday phenomena.
References
[1] Hall, Nancy. “Newton's Laws of Motion.” NASA, FirstGov, 5 May 2015,
www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/newton.html.
[2] Caster, Hamilton. “Rolling Resistance & Industrial Wheels.” Industrial Equipment
News (IEN) , 18 Apr. 2016
[3] Verterra, Romel. “Bearing Stress.” MATHalino, Pinoy Math Community, 2018
