Dimensions of Animals and their Muscular Dynamics
Dimensions of Animals and their Muscular Dynamics
复制标题
动物的尺寸及其肌肉动力学
作者：
A. Hill
11月4日，A。V.希尔在皇家研究所做了一个星期五晚上的演讲，他的主题是“动物的尺寸和它们的肌肉动力学”。他指出，哺乳动物的大小以4000万：1的比例变化，从4-5克到150吨不等。一般来说，小动物比大动物更快地完成每一个动作，它的肌肉具有更高的“内在速度”，并且能够与它们的大小成比例地发展更多的力量。在一组“相似”的动物中，最大速度、跳跃的高度和长度有一个明显的趋势，与大小无关。这取决于各种限制因素，特别是动物结构的机械强度，以及对肌肉的氧气供应。在鲸类动物中，从鼠海豚到鲸鱼，尽管体重相差5,000倍，但所能保持的最大速度（约15节）大致相同。对表面摩擦阻力的计算表明，如果湍流发生在表面的一小部分以上，克服表面摩擦阻力所需的功率将高得不可能。
ON November 4 Prof. A. V. Hill gave a Friday Evening Discourse at the Royal Institution, his subject being "The Dimensions of Animals and their Muscular Dynamics". He pointed out that mammals vary in size in the ratio of 40,000,000 : 1, from 4–5 grams to 150 tons. In general, a small animal carries out each movement more quickly than a large animal, its muscles having a higher 'intrinsic speed' and being able, in proportion to their size, to develop more power. In a group of 'similar' animals there is an evident tendency for the maximum speed, and the height and length of jump, to be independent of size. This depends upon a variety of limiting factors, particularly the mechanical strength of the structure of the animals, and the oxygen supply to their muscles. In the cetaceans, from porpoises to whales, the maximum speed that can be maintained (about 15 knots) is much the same in spite of a 5,000 fold variation of weight. A calculation of the drag due to skin friction shows that the power required to overcome it would be impossibly high if turbulence occurred over more than a small fraction of the surface.