Forces Within and Around Us

Forces Within and Around Us

Understanding Internal and External Forces in Movement Year 11 Physical Education Biomechanics Unit

Learning Intentions

Identify internal and external forces in sporting movements Explain forces using correct biomechanical terminology Analyze how forces affect movement patterns Apply force concepts to real sporting situations

What Are Forces?

A force is a push or pull that acts on an object Forces can cause objects to start moving, stop moving, or change direction In the human body, forces are constantly at work Forces are measured in Newtons (N)

Internal Forces

Forces produced inside the body through muscular contraction Created when muscles contract and pull on bones Examples: Quadriceps during jumping, Biceps during throwing Allow us to create movement and generate power

Feel Your Internal Forces

Stand up and slowly bend your arm at the elbow Place your other hand on your bicep muscle Feel the muscle contract as you lift your forearm This contraction is an internal force at work!

External Forces

Forces acting on the body from outside sources Gravity - pulls us toward Earth Air resistance - opposes movement through air Contact forces - from ground, equipment, or other people

Internal vs External Forces

{"left":"Muscle contractions\nTendon tensions\nJoint compressions\nCreated by the body","right":"Gravity\nAir resistance\nGround contact\nEquipment resistance"}

Forces in a Sprint Start

Think and Discuss

Choose a sporting movement you know well What internal forces would be involved? What external forces would affect the movement? How do these forces work together?

Your Investigation Task

Choose one sporting movement to investigate Create a 2-slide PowerPoint presentation Slide 1: Annotated image showing internal and external forces Slide 2: Explanation of how these forces affect the movement