Propulsion is associated with an impulse that allows movement.
Propulsion is the process and result of propelling . This verb has its etymological origin in the Latin propulsare, which means “to force something to move forward” and is the result of the sum of the following elements:
- The prefix pro- , which can be translated as “forward” .
- The verb pulsar , which is synonymous with “beat” .
Propel, therefore, refers to the impulse given to something to advance or move, whether in a physical or symbolic sense. Propulsion, therefore, is a displacement that is produced through the action of a force .
human propulsion
Human propulsion is known as that which is generated by the force of a person's muscles. This type of traction is present in canoes , skateboards , bicycles and many other vehicles. Human propulsion is not only economical, but it is also healthy since physical activity provides benefits to the body.
Among those other types of vehicles that operate through what has been called human propulsion, we also find rowing boats, the case of canoes , or inline skates .
Swimming is developed through human propulsion.
swimming
Swimming is one of the sports where human propulsion is key. And the person in question needs to carry it out to be able to move through the water, thus overcoming the resistance it presents. In order to achieve this movement, it is essential that the swimmer perform certain movements with both his lower and upper extremities.
More specifically we can point out that in the field of swimming it is considered that there are different types of propulsion:
- Taking into account the type of movement, there are scissors, pedaling, kicking... What's more, this classification can be subdivided if we start from the number of limbs used to perform it, which would result in the propulsion of one or more two arms and one or two legs.
- Based on the actions performed with the arms, they can be simultaneous, alternative, long, short, aerial...
- If what is taken into consideration is the position of the body, it can be determined that propulsion can be lateral, ventral, dorsal or vertical.
Other types of propulsion
Jet propulsion , on the other hand, is carried out through a jet engine. This type of engine works with the discharge of fluids at high speed: these jets cause the thrust that allows a vehicle to move. Jet aircraft, for example, operate with jet propulsion.
Another type of propulsion is nuclear propulsion . As its name indicates, in this case the propulsion is caused by a nuclear reaction , which develops in a chain and in a controlled manner through devices known as reactors . There are boats and submarines that move thanks to nuclear propulsion.
When propulsion is developed by means that, at least currently, are not conventional or their use is not widespread, we speak of alternative propulsion . Vehicles that run on solar energy or hydrogen are examples of this propulsion.