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Delete - Last Modified By: stu at 11/02/2015 8:42:50 PM
Lab report: Muscle cross- sectional area vs strength
AIM: To see if any relationship exists between the cross- sectional area of muscle and the force it is able to generate.
METHOD: You cannot slice through the biceps to obtain its true cross- sectional area, so you will measure its circumference with tape measure.
1. For a group of subjects, measure and record the circumference of each biceps (fully flexed)
2. Each subject is to perform bicep curls with increasing weights of dumb bell until a weight is reached for which they cannot complete a bicep curl. Choose weights that the subjects believe to be close to their maximum. (Subjects are being tested for strength and not endurance) Subjetcs should use their biceps. They should avoid swinging or swaying the back to initiate the curl by standing side- on in doorway, leaning against the door framewith their backso that they have either side to move the weights on the downward phase.
3. Record the most successful maximal effort of each subject in a table such as that sown below.
| Name of subject |
Bicep circumference |
Maximal weight curled |
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4. Plot your results on a graph to show the relationship between bicep circumference and weight curled (strength)
DISCUSSION
1. Does a relationship exist between cross- sectional area and strength generated by muscles? If so, what is it?
2. Are there any exceptions? In other words, are any results different from the general trend?
a) How do you account for these differences?
b) If applicable, compare the results obtained for females to those obtained for male class members.
c) If you could not obtain results from both males and females, which gender do you believe would obtain the greatest results given the same bicep circumferences? Why?
3. Comment on the speed of contraction required to obtain the greatest force/ maximal contraction.