Find Tension & Force Exerted by Shinbones on Foot w/ W, a, & b

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stratosphere
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Force Tension
Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The problem involves analyzing the forces acting on a person standing on the ball of one foot, specifically focusing on the tension in the calf muscle and the force exerted by the shinbones on the foot. The variables W, a, and b are mentioned, with a and b representing specific points on the foot.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the need for clarity on the definitions of variables a and b, and suggest drawing a diagram to visualize the forces involved. There is also a focus on understanding the physical setup, including the position of the heel and the distances between points on the foot.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants seeking clarification on the variables and encouraging the original poster to provide more information. Suggestions have been made to visualize the problem through diagrams and to identify forces acting on the foot.

Contextual Notes

There is a lack of information regarding the distances between points a and b, which is crucial for solving the problem. The original poster's initial attempt at a solution is unclear and requires further elaboration.

Stratosphere
Messages
373
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



A person of weight W stands on the ball of one foot. Find
the tension in the calf muscle and the force exerted by the shinbones
on the bones of the foot, in terms of W, a, and b. (The tension is a
measure of how tight the calf muscle has been pulled; it has units
of Newtons, and equals the amount of force applied by the muscle
where it attaches to the heel.) For simplicity, assume that all the
forces are at 90-degree angles to the foot. Suggestion: Write down
an equation that says the total force on the foot is zero, and another
equation saying that the total torque on the foot is zero; solve the
two equations for the two unknowns

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


I'm not sure what to do for this one.Am I suppose to do W=a*b?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Well, you need to tell us what a and b are before we can help you.

It's a very good idea to start out by drawing a picture (even if it's relatively crude) and identifying forces. I would suggest trying to stand on one foot. You'll find out interesting things like your center of gravity has to be above your foot or you'll fall over. It also might help you to identify the forces. Once you have your forces and where they're acting identified, then you can try to write the relevant equations.
 
ais the back of the foot and b is the front with the ball.
 
Two questions: (1) Just to make sure, is the heel of the foot off the ground? (2) Do you have the distance between ta and b?
 
That was suppose to be "between a and b"
 

Similar threads

Replies
4
Views
1K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
Replies
9
Views
4K
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
2K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
4K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
1K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
8K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K