Balance, Stability & Equilibrium Flashcards
What is equilibrium?
Equilibrium is achieved when all forces are balanced
What is static equilibrium?
Static equilibrium occurs when all parts of a body are at rest and stationary
What is dynamic equilibrium?
Dynamic equilibrium occurs when all parts of a body are moving with the same constant velocity created by balanced forces
What is balance?
Balance is the ability to maintain equilibrium while stationary (static) or while moving (dynamic)
What is stability?
Stability is the resistance to the change (disruption) of equilibrium.
When stability is increased, it is more difficult to unbalance an object/body
How is stability increased?
- Centre of gravity
- Line of gravity
- Base of support
What is centre of gravity?
Is the central point of an object, about which all of its weight is evenly distributed and balanced.
Having a lower centre of gravity makes someone more stable.
What is line of gravity?
An imaginary line which passes through the centre of gravity and continues down into the centre of an objects base of support.
This must be maintained within the base of support to maintain equilibrium.
What is base of support?
Base of support is the area of an object that is in contact with the surface supporting it.
A wider base of support = greater stability
When one’s line of gravity falls outside BOS = equilibrium is disrupted
Larger base of support = increases stability
How does friction and mass affect stability?
The greater the mass of an object, the greater the force required to move it and therefore disrupt equilibrium.
Increasing the friction between the body and the surface it is in contact with increases the persons stability.
