1.

A quadriceps tendon attaches to a tibia at a 30 degree angle 4cm from the joint
center at knee. When an 80N weight is attached to the ankle 28 cm from the knee
joint, how much force is required of the quadriceps to maintain the leg in a
horizontal position? What is the magnitude and direction of the reaction force
exerted by the femur on the tibia?

2. Compare the force generating capacity and maximum shortening velocity of

hypothetical muscles consisting of 1) one cell with 50 sacromeres vs. 2) two cells
with 25 sacromeres each.
3. How much force is exerted by the tendon of a pinnate muscle when the tension in
the fibers is 100N, given that the angle of pennation is 1) 40 degree, 2) 60 degree,
3) 80 degree.
4. Muscles can generate approximately 90N of force per square cm area. Estimate
the cross-sectional area of your biceps and find out how much force should the
muscle be able to produce.
5. If the biceps brachii attaching to the radius 2.5 cm from the elbow joint produces
250N of tension perpendicular to the bone and the triceps brachii attaching 3 cm
away from the elbow joint exerts 200N of tension perpendicular to the bone, how
much net torque is present at the joint.
6. How much compression acts on the patellofemoral joint when the quadriceps
exert 400N of tension and the angle between the quadriceps and the patellar
tension is 1) 140 degree, and 2) 100 degree.
7. How much force must be produced by the biceps brachii at a perpendicular
distance of 3 cm from the axis of rotation at the elbow to support a weight of
200N at a perpendicular distance of 25cm from the elbow.
8. A hand exerts a force of 90 N on a scale at 32 cm from the joint center at the
elbow. If the triceps attach to the ulna at a 90 degree angle and at a distance of 3
cm from the elbow joint center and if the weight of the forearm and hand is 40N
with the hand/forearm CG located 17 cm from the elbow joint center, how much
force is being exerted by the triceps.
9. A patient rehabilitating a knee injury performs knee extension exercises wearing a
15N weight boot. Calculate the amount of torque generated at the knee by the
weight boot for the four positions: 1) 90 degree (full extension) 2) 60 degree, 3)
30 degree, and 4) 0 degree. The distance between the weight boot’s CG and the
joint center at the knee is 0.4m.
10. A therapist applies a lateral force of 80N to the forearm at a distance of 25cm
from the axis of rotation at the elbow. The biceps attaches to the radius at a 90
degree angle and at a distance of 3 cm from the elbow joint center. How much
force is required of the biceps to stabilize the arm in this position? What is the
magnitude of the reaction force exerted by the humerus on the ulna.
11. Tendon forces Ta and Tb are exerted on the patella. The femur exerts force F on
the patella. If the magnitude of Tb is 80N, what are the magnitudes of Ta and F, if
no motion is occurring at the joint.
12. Moment of inertia is the product of the mass and radius of gyration squared. The
radius of gyration of the thigh with respect to the transverse axis at the hip is 54%
of the segment length. The mass of the thigh is 10.5% of the total body mass, and
the length of the thigh is 23.2% of the total body height. What is the moment of
inertia of the hip for males of the following body masses and heights.
A - 60 Kg mass – 1.6 Meter height.
B - 60 Kg mass - 1.8 Meter height
C - 70 Kg mass - 1.6 Meter height
D - 70 Kg mass - 1.8 Meter height.
13. Using the anthropometric data supplied in the class, calculate the locations of the
radii of gyration of all body segments with respect to the proximal joint center for
a 1.7m tall woman.
14. A patellar tendon attaches to the tibia at a 20 degree angle 3 cm from the axis of
rotation at the knee. If the tension in the tendon is 400 N, what is the resulting
acceleration of the 4.2 kg lower leg and foot given a radius of gyration of 25 cm
for the lower leg/foot with respect to the axis of rotation at the knee.
15. Derive an expression for the values T and v which maximize the power output of
muscle described by the Hill’s equation. Assume a/To = 0.25 and show that the
maximum power is about 0.1Tovmax.