Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
The nature of the object, its stability, or how delicate it is may be the determining
factor in the figure's movement. A lightweight though large and unstable object
may require a great deal of effort in maintaining balance. Likewise, a very delicate
object such as an unstable explosive device, although not heavy, may also
change the nature of the gait, slow the action, and smooth out any movements.
Pushing or pulling a heavy load involves the use of body strength and may
also involve the use of body weight as a counterweight to the object being
moved. The effectiveness of the effort in achieving the object's movement
may not be simply due to the strength and weight of the figure alone; the
object's resistance to the forces being applied may vary with the nature of
the object, its location, and the surfaces it sits on. A spherical object such as
a soccer ball sitting on a flat surface will have a much smaller surface area
in contact with the surface than that of a cube of similar size. The potential
friction between the two flat surfaces is far greater than that of the spherical
surface sitting on a similar surface. Pulling or pushing the cube will result in
two surfaces sliding against one another, maximizing the friction between
the two, whereas a ball will simply roll with the minimum of friction. Having
overcome inertia, the spherical object will gain momentum, which will be
more easily maintained by continued force. The friction between the flat
surfaces of the cube and ground will not only make the inertia more difficult
to overcome, but any momentum will be far more difficult to maintain,
requiring far greater and more consistent force. The friction between the ball
and the ground will eventually bring it to a halt, but the friction between the
cube and the ground will bring the object to a halt far more quickly.
FIG 5.25
Figures pushing and pulling
heavy objects with and without the
assistance of the use of wheels.
