Movement and Locomotion

 
14.3  Movement and Locomotion
 
 
  • Actions between skeletal muscles and bones at joint causing movement
  • Movements of arm and leg are due to the actions of antagonistic pair of skeletal muscle
 
  • Movements of arm:
 
Bending of the arm   Straightening of the arm
Biceps contracts, triceps relax Action of muscles Triceps contracts, biceps relax
Transmits pulling force exerted by biceps to the radius Tendon Transmits pulling force exerted by triceps to the ulna
Radius is pulled upwards Bone The ulna is pulled downwards
Holds bones together to form a joint Ligament Holds bones together to form a joint
forearm moves upwards to bend the arm Joint The forearm moves downwards to straighten the arm
 
  • Movements of leg:
 
Bending of the leg   Straightening of the leg
Biceps femoris contracts and quadriceps relaxes Action of muscles Quadriceps contract and biceps femoris relaxes
Transmits pulling force exerted by biceps femoris to tibia and fibula Tendon Transmits pulling force exerted by quadriceps to tibia
Tibia and fibula are pulled backward Bone Tibia and fibula are pulled forward
The leg is bent at knee joint Joint The leg is straightened
 
Locomotions in Animals:
 
 
Locomotion in earthworm
 
Characteristics
  • Has antagonistic muscles: circular muscle, longitudinal muscle.
  • Hydrostatic skeleton: contraction and relaxation of antagonistic muscles raise hydrostatic pressure of the fluid in the coelom
  • Chaetae: fine hooks which anchor to the ground
 
Mechanism of location and functions
  1. Posterior chaetae anchor the ground. Circular muscles in the anterior contract and the longitudinal muscles relax, producing high hydrostatic pressure. These cause the anterior segment to extend forward
  2. Anterior chaetae anchor the ground. Posterior chaetae are withdrawn. Circular muscles in the anterior relax and longitudinal muscles contract, producing low hydrostatic pressure. These cause the posterior segments to be pulled forward
  3. Continuos process - Peristaltic waves enable earthworms to move forward
 
Locomotion in fish
 
Characteristics
  • Scaly and slimly body to reduce water resistance
  • W-shaped antagonistic muscle blocks are arranged in segments on both sides of a vertebral column named myotomes
  • Swim bladder: an air sac inside the abdomen to maintain buoyancy
  • Dorsal and ventral fins - prevent yawning and rolling
  • Tail fin - forward thrust
  • Paired fin (pelvic and pectoral fins) - steering, prevent pitching
 
Mechanism of locomotion and function
  1. Right myotomes contract, left myotomes to relax
  2. Head and tail will bend to the right
  3. Right myotomes relax, left myotomes contract
  4. Head and tail will bend to the left
  5. Continuous contraction and relaxation of muscles allow fish to move their tail
  6. The tail movement creates a forward thrust
 
Locomotion in grasshopper:
 
Characteristics

Antagonistic muscles:

  1. Flexor muscles
  2. Extensor muscles:
  • Found inside the internal structure of the exoskeleton
  • The hind legs are bigger and longer for jumping
  • Movement is produced by contraction and relaxation of these muscles
 
Mechanism of locomotion and function

Jumping:

  1. At rest, flexor muscles contract, hind legs folded in the shape of "Z"
  2. Extensor muscles contract and hind legs straighten 
  3. Grasshopper jumps forward and upwards