Medical physics college of engineering

Force in and on the body

In physics, a force is any influence that causes an object to undergo a
change in speed, a change in direction, or a change in shape. Force can also be
described by intuitive concepts such as a push or pull that can cause an object
with mass to change its velocity (which includes to begin moving from a state
of rest), i.e., to accelerate, or which can cause a flexible object to deform. A
force has both magnitude and direction, making it a vector quantity. Force is
commonly explained in terms of Newton's laws of motion. All known natural
forces can be traced to the fundamental interactions. Force is measured in
newtons (N); a force of 1 N will accelerate a mass of 1 kg at a rate of 1 m/sec2.
Physicists recognize four fundamental forces. In the order of their relative
strength from weakest to strongest they are: gravitational, electrical, weak
nuclear and strong nuclear. Only the gravitational and electrical forces are of
importance in our study of the forces affecting the human body. The electrical
force is important at the molecular and cellular levels, e.g., affecting the binding
together of our bones and controlling the contraction of our muscles.

A-Forces in the body are:

1-Gravitational force.
2-Electrical force.
3-Nuclear force.
B-Forces on the body are:
1- Static forces.
2- Frictional forces.
3-Dynamics forces.

I-Forces in the body

1-Gravitational force:
Newton formulated the law of universal gravitation. This law states
that "there is a force of attraction between any two objects.
F=mg, g= acceleration due to gravity (cm/sec2 or m/sec2)
m= the mass (g, kg)
F= the force (N, dyne)
“For example; our weight is due to attraction between the earth and our
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 bodies.
The gravitational force is very small on the moon because the
attraction between the moon and the bodies is small.
Effects of Gravitational force:
1-The formation of Varicose veins in the leg. This happens because of the
attraction of the earth to the blood. This attraction resists the flow up of blood.
The venous blood travels against the force of gravity on its way to the heart.
2 -The loss of some minerals of the bone. When a person becomes weightless
(such as in an orbiting satellite), then some of the bone mineral is lost.
This effect happens even in which the presence of gravity (such as in which
the person is in long term bed rest). This case will cause the removal of much
of the force of the body weight from the bones and can lead to serious bone
mineral loss.
2. Electrical force:
This force is more complicated than gravity, since it involves attraction and
repulsive forces between static electrical charges as well as magnetic forces
produced by moving electrical charges.
Electrical forces are immense compared to gravitational forces. For
example; the electrical forces between an electron and a proton in H atom is
about (1039 times) greater than the gravitational forces between them.
Our bodies are typically electrical machines: -
A- The forces produced by the muscles are electrical charges attracting or
repelling other electrical charges.
B- The control of the muscles.

Electrical current: It is moving electrical charges, or, it is moving electrons.

The forces that are produced by the muscles are caused by electrical charges
attracting or repelling other electrical charges.
Types of electrical forces:
A-Static forces: Either attraction or repulsive forces between static electrical
charges.
B-Magnetic forces: this force produces moving electrical charges in the
muscles and nerves?
3- Nuclear forces:

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 Which keep the positive charges "protons" together inside the nucleus. We
have two types of nuclear forces:
I- Strong nuclear forces: It is very larger than the other type. It is acts as
"glue" to hold the nucleus against the repulsive forces that produced by
the protons on each other.
II- Weaker Nuclear force: it is involved with electron decay from the
nucleus. It may be related to the electrical force.

II-Forces on the body

They are either that where the body is accelerated (dynamics) or where
the body is equilibrium (statics).
The force that is involved in both dynamics and statics is called "Friction
Force".

A-statics: When objects are static, they are in equilibrium i.e. the sum
of forces in any direction is equal to zero, and the sum of the torques about
the axis equal zero.
Many of the muscle and the bone system of the body acts as levers. Levers
are classified according to the positions of the fulcrum, effort and load or
resistance. There are three classes of levers, identified as first, second, and
third class levers. We can tell the classes of levers apart by:
1- The force you apply (or the effort you make).
2- An opposing force such as a weight, which is usually called the load.
3-The pivot point, or fulcrum of the action.
1- First Class Levers: They are least common in the body. The fulcrum
point (F) is between the muscle force (M) and the weight (W) for
example the head.

2- Second Class Levers: They are found more than 1st class levers. Here
(W) is between (F) & (M). For example standing on the toes.

3- Third Class Levers: They are most common in the body. Here (M) is
between (F)& (W). For example the, the arm in the elbow joint.

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 In general, each muscle has a minimum length to which it can be
contracted and a maximum length to which it can be stretched and still
function.
Example: - The lever system in the body is the case of the
biceps muscle and the radius bone acting to support a weight in
the hand.

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 R: - The reaction force of the humerus on the ulna.
M: - The Muscle force supplies by the biceps.
W: - the weight in the hand
We can find the force supplied by any muscle by the equation:

Where M=Muscle force, W=Weight.

The above equation used when we neglect the weight of the
forearm and hand. As in finding the force supplied by biceps muscle.
While when we do not neglect this weight, the equation will be:

Tension: From the following figures, we can show that:

18T Sinα=36 +72

And we can derive the tension value as:

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If α= l6, the weight of the arm W1 = 68 N, and the weight in the hand W2 =
45N, then T = 1145 N. The force needed to hold up the arm is surprisingly
large.

The following diagram represents the relation between the maximum

and the length of the muscle.

From the diagram we note that:

1- At the rest of the muscle (resting length L), it is close to its optimum length
for producing force.
2- At about half muscle length (1/2 L), it can not shorten further and the force,
that the muscle produce drops.
3- At stretch of about double length (2L), irreversible tearing of muscle take
place.

C- Frictional Forces:
Friction and energy loss due to friction appears everywhere in our
everyday life. Friction limits the efficiency of most machines such as the
electrical generators and cars. On the other hand we make use of friction in
devices such as rubber tires and car breaks.
In the body friction effects are often important.The maximum force of
friction f is usually described by:

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 f=μ N
Where N is a normal force and μ is the coefficient of friction between the
two surfaces. The value of μ depends upon:
1- The two materials in contact.
2- Essentially independent of the surface area.
Friction must be overcome when joints move, but for normal joints it is
very small. The coefficient of friction in bone joints is usually much lower than
in engineering-type materials (Table above). If a disease of the joint exists, the
friction may become significant. Synovial fluid in the joint is involved in
lubrication, but controversy still exists as to its exact behavior.

B -Friction in the body

The Walking:- As the heel of the foot touch the ground a force is transmitted
from the foot to the ground, we can resolve this force into horizontal and
vertical components. Friction between the heel and surface prevent the foot
from slipping forward.
Fh= the horizontal reaction component supplied by frictional forces.
N= normal force supplied by the forces.
The max. Force of friction (F) is:
F= μ×N
When the foot leaves the ground, Fh prevents the toe from slipping backward

C-Dynamics: This force is important when the body is moving and hitting
another body. It appears on the body where acceleration or deceleration is
involved. This force is used in the "Forensic Medicine".
Newton originally wrote the law that measures this force. He said that:-

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Where: - Δm= change of momentum =Δ(mυ)
m =mass (Kg, g), υ= velocity of this mass
Δt = interval of time , a=acceleration (cm /sec2 or m/ sec2)
The increase weight when the heart beats (systole) is an example of a
dynamic force in the body.

Forces during Collisions

When a portion of the body (or the whole body) bumps into a solid object, it
rapidly decelerates, resulting in large forces. If we consider the deceleration to
be constant and limit ourselves to one-dimensional motion, we can use the
original form of Newton’s second law. Force equals the rate of change of
momentum. The more common form, mass times acceleration, can be written
as:

Or F = the rate of change of momentum.

Examples of Forces during Collisions

Example(1):-

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 A 60 Kg person walking at 1 m/sec bumps into a wall and stops in a distance
of 2.5 cm in about 0.05sec what is he force developed on impact?

Solution:-
Δ(mυ)= momentum before impact-moment after
impact
Δ(mυ)=(3kg*1m/sec)-(3kg*0)
Δ(mυ)=3kg.m/sec
F=momentum / Δt
F=60kg/0.05
F=1200N

Sedimentation
Let us consider sedimentation of small spherical objects of density P in a
solution of density Pо in a gravitational field(g). We know that falling objects
reach a max.(terminal)velocity due to viscosity effects. Stock has shown that for
a spherical object of radius(a), the retarding force Fd and terminal velocity (υ)
are related by :-
F πaηυ d = 6 …… Stock law
Where:-

Fd= retarding force..

υ= terminal velocity.
η= viscosity of liquid
=density of the spherical
o= density of solution
when the particle is moving at a constant speed, the Fd is an equilibrium with
the difference between the downward Fd and the upward buoyant force:
Fd=Fg-FB

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 When a particle or spherical object is moving at constant speed, Fd is in
equilibrium with the difference between the down ward gravitational force and
upward buoyant force.
The buoyant force can be defined as: It is the weight of the liquid that the
particle displace.

A-The force of gravity (Fg):

B-The buoyant force (FB):

C- The retarding force:

NOTE: =9.8 m/sec2

The terminal velocity (Sedimentation velocity):

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1- In some forms of diseases ( rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease and
gout) the red blood cells (RBCs) clump together and the effective radius
increase. Thus, an increased sedimentation velocity occurs.
2- In hemolytic jaundice and sickle cell anemia, the RBCs change shape or
break. The radius decreases; thus, the rate of sedimentation is slower than
normal.
The effective acceleration:
=4
f= rotation rate.
r= Position on the radius of centrifuge.
Hematocrit depends on:
1-Radius of centrifuge.
2-Speed.
3-Duration.
Standard method for hematocrit is (30 min) duration at rotation
rate (3000 rpm).
A normal hematocrit is from 40 to 60.
Hematocrit < 40
Hematocrit > 60

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