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Quadrupedal Mechanics - Anatomy & Physiology (view source)
Revision as of 04:57, 28 November 2013
, 04:57, 28 November 2013→Energy, speed and endurance of isometric animals
During the hunt, what is the outcome of a tiny hare chased by larger hounds, chased in turn by even larger mounted huntsmen? The nutrient store of the body is also proportional to body mass. While maintaining maximum energy output, the time taken for nutritional exhaustion scales as f3, and since velocity is the same, the distance travelled before nutritional exhaustion scales as f3. The advantage of size is the ability to travel fast for longer. Small animals maintain prolonged activity only by continual nutritional replenishment. The size progression of hare, hound and horse must be reversed in terms of either athletic ability or cunning, if the hunt is to last long enough to be "sporting". Perhaps the only cunning the huntsman employs is to use the large nutritional stores of his horse!
During the hunt, what is the outcome of a tiny hare chased by larger hounds, chased in turn by even larger mounted huntsmen? The nutrient store of the body is also proportional to body mass. While maintaining maximum energy output, the time taken for nutritional exhaustion scales as f3, and since velocity is the same, the distance travelled before nutritional exhaustion scales as f3. The advantage of size is the ability to travel fast for longer. Small animals maintain prolonged activity only by continual nutritional replenishment. The size progression of hare, hound and horse must be reversed in terms of either athletic ability or cunning, if the hunt is to last long enough to be "sporting". Perhaps the only cunning the huntsman employs is to use the large nutritional stores of his horse!
[[File:QMFig 7.3.png|thumb|'''Fig 7.3 Top speed of mammals''']]
:::::'''Fig 7.3 Top speed of mammals'''
:::::'''Fig 7.3 Top speed of mammals'''
:::::The cheetah, gazelles and antelopes are the fastest of all terrestrial animals. Another group of fast mammals include the horse, hound and hare. The slowest mammals include the mouse and elephant. In none of these groups does body size appear an advantage or a constraint to running speed.
:::::The cheetah, gazelles and antelopes are the fastest of all terrestrial animals. Another group of fast mammals include the horse, hound and hare. The slowest mammals include the mouse and elephant. In none of these groups does body size appear an advantage or a constraint to running speed.
==='''Proportional and disproportional development'''===
==='''Proportional and disproportional development'''===