2009年6月14日 星期日

蛇藉著鱗片產生的磨擦力與改變體重分布在平面上滑行

文獻來源: Hu DL. Nirody J, Scott T, Shelley MJ. 2009. The mechanics of slithering locomotion. Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America doi: 10.1073/pnas.0812533106

Abstract
In this experimental and theoretical study, we investigate the slithering of snakes on flat surfaces. Previous studies of slithering have rested on the assumption that snakes slither by pushing laterally against rocks and branches. In this study, we develop a theoretical model for slithering locomotion by observing snake motion kinematics and experimentally measuring the friction coefficients of snakeskin. Our predictions of body speed show good agreement with observations, demonstrating that snake propulsion on flat ground, and possibly in general, relies critically on the frictional anisotropy of their scales. We have also highlighted the importance of weight distribution in lateral undulation, previously difficult to visualize and hence assumed uniform. The ability to redistribute weight, clearly of importance when appendages are airborne in limbed locomotion, has a much broader generality, as shown by its role in improving limbless locomotion.

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