title: Muscle contraction: energy rate equations in relation to efficiency and step-size distance.
abstract: We derive the energy rate equation for muscle contraction. Our equation has only two parameters m, the maintenance heat rate and 1/S, the shortening heat coefficient. The impulsive model (previously described in earlier papers) provides a physical basis for parameter 1/S as well as for constants a and b in Hill's force-velocity equation. We develop new theory and relate the efficiency and the step-size distance to our energy rate equation. Correlation between the efficiency and the step-size distance is established. The various numbers are listed in Table 1: we use data from five different muscles in the literature. In summary, our analysis strongly supports the impulsive model as the correct model of contraction.
authors.affiliation: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. cw3s@andrew.cmu.edu
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Worthington
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Elliott
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001001:Anura; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005399:Fishes; D008954:Models, Biological; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D014426:Turtles