Explain the class of lever system in use when the athlete moves from standing onto her toes. Explain why this gives the athlete mechanical advantage.

Answer 1

The class of lever system in use when the athlete moves from standing onto her toes is a third-class lever system. In this type of lever system, the fulcrum is located at one end of the lever, the resistance is located at the other end of the lever, and the effort is located in between the fulcrum and the resistance.

When the athlete moves from standing onto her toes, the effort is provided by the muscle contraction in the calf muscle, which is located between the ball of the foot (which acts as the fulcrum) and the weight of the body (which acts as the resistance). The mechanical advantage of this lever system is that the effort required to lift the body onto the toes is less than the weight of the body itself because of the distance between the ball of the foot and the ankle joint. This means that the athlete can generate more force with less effort, making it easier for her to move onto her toes.